Zooey,

Good questions, and points. And a key thing about Single Payer: It would radically reduce costs for Americans “consumers” and taxpayers. Our present system, as has been noted repeatedly, is twice as expensive as those other systems, the single-payer systems in other nations, like ZN’s example of Canada, and most of Europe. They pay half or less than we do, and they get far better coverage, have far less — or no — out of pocket costs, and everyone is covered. To me, it’s absolute madness that we don’t do this.

I’ve been told, for instance, by people from Canada, and in Europe when I was there, that cancer treatments are paid for. Virtually everything. Here, in America, the out of pocket costs for a typical patient with insurance can run at least into the thousands per treatment, and if a prolonged hospital stay is ever required, it can be tens of thousands out of pocket. That does not happen in Canada, Europe and anywhere with Single Payer.

No country on earth has a higher rate of medical bankruptcy than the US, and no other country pays anywhere close to what we pay for prescriptions drugs. There isn’t any reason to keep our system beyond making corporate America fat and happy, and the politicians who work to prevent Single Payer do so on their behalf.

Also: Not sure if this has already been posted here, by I think it’s a really good article (from Naked Capitalism) on Clinton/Sanders and the so-called pragmatism versus idealism debate:

The Crackpot Realism of Clintonian Politics

The most bizarre thing about these desperate calls to realism is our modern context. In what possible way is it “realistic” to continue voting for the lesser evil when we have an ongoing climate catastrophe no mainstream Democrat or Republican is willing to discuss, let alone actually do something significant about? During Obama’s first term he even pressured environmental groups to stop or tone down their discussions of climate change. Each lesser evil candidate just happens to be a greater evil than the last one. Each of their politics are unimaginable even as one is in the throes of the attacks on basic human decency engendered by the last one. The slogan of the Democratic party is “it could always be worse” while the promise is “it will always be worse”. When your realism involves supporting a trend that could quite realistically mean the end of human civilization forgive me for holding you in contempt.

In crackpot realism, a high-flying moral rhetoric is joined with an opportunist crawling among a great scatter of unfocused fears and demands. In fact, the main content of “politics” is now a struggle among men equally expert in practical next steps — which, in summary, make up the thrust toward war — and in great, round, hortatory principles.

Charles Wright Mills writing nearly sixty years ago captures this dynamic perfectly. Whereas then the steps towards war could be apocalyptic because of nuclear annihilation now the steps towards war seem more like a distraction while we sink into greater economic doldrums and come closer to social death. But not only does all this ignore the existential threats, it completely misses how American politics has evolved for over four decades. To the liberal commentariat the status quo is irrevocably right wing and politicians like Obama and Clinton are simply “grappling” with this reality. As Klein said “Clinton’s theory of change is probably analytically correct”.

Well, athletically Goff brings more to the table than Warner did. And the thing is about Warner, nobody knew he was going to be Warner until he was…Warner.

So I agree, potentially Goff could be as good as Warner. But much about what made Warner great had nothing to do with athletic ability. His accuracy, quick release and a bunch of sorta abstract intangibles set him apart from the rest of the NFL. I don’t know what’s being said about Goff’s release but I hear he is accurate. Of course, he could be as effective as Warner but be so for different reasons. I don’t expect him to play like Warner however he will need to have some of those intangibles to be on his level.

One thing Goff won’t have is Bruce, Holt, Hakim and Proehl so we should be patient if he doesn’t take command of the offense as quickly as Warner did.

InvaderRam wrote:

although i concede that saying he could be goff’s go to receiver was going a little overboard. i’m just a little anxious about how goff will do his rookie year. feel like he’s gonna need the receivers to step up. don’t think the rookies are gonna be up for it. not this year. austin seems like their best chance.

This kind of no-holds-barred, “I’m just right” board war has to have limits. So maybe by July we should think about slowing it down.

Anyway, you’re right…Goff would do better as a rookie if he had a receiver. I don’t know, it’s possible that Tavon steps up and adds more receiving chops. It’s also possible Britt does the same. Maybe Marquez has some of that in him. Maybe Quick goes back to what he was showing early in 2014. It’s also possible they work Gurley in more to the passing game. (I’m not going to count Bailey.) Maybe all that happens, or a percentage of it. Maybe a rookie defies the normal odds and steps up.

I don’t think it’s bleak, it just looks like one big question.

Reminds me of the snakebit past, a little. Bradford began his rookie season with Mark Clayton, and Clayton looked like he was going to be better than his Ravens self and give SB a go-to guy. Then he was hurt in the 2nd game. This isn’t like that…there’s no Clayton this time, and there probably isn’t a Laurent Robinson or Gilyard either (meaning I don’t think they will end up stuck with guys who are just that bad). There’s no Amendola either, but then Amendola was a mixed blessing (he was a short yardage magician but not an outside guy).

I think it’s possible there’s someone in this mix who can get 60/900–

Austin?
Britt?
Cooper?
Marquez?
North?
McRoberts?
Quick?
Spruce?
Thomas?

I am not listing Williams because he has too far to go and too much to prove.

My own view, remember, is that 2017 will look better regarding all this than 2016 does now. Which, I know, is a big help. I am even afraid to use the phrase “be patient” around longterm diehard Rams fans. It sounds too much like “Niagra Falls.”
.
…

Mackeyser wrote:

Major General Smedley Butler got it right. So did Eisenhower when he left office.

As for job creation, that’s just not justified by basic economics.

Principal demands return. Period. Wages are a drag on returns and thus in maximizing returns, wages are minimized or eliminated.

Which means, principal seeks return in which there are few people required or no people required.

Why do you think speculative returns on Wall Street are so attractive? They can get returns and have ZERO of the drags on the net such as wages. The only thing to manage is risk which is still evident in any venture in which there are jobs, be it retail, manufacturing, service sector, health care, etc.

Thus, the BIGGEST LIE of all is that the wealthy are job creators. They are not. The wealthy are wealth hoarders. Their investments have proven to NOT create jobs, certainly not in the US. The returns they seek are too great for that to happen here.

The actual math is that what should have happened initially instead of some piddly little stimulus was a MASSIVE, MASSIVE stimulus in which the country borrowed at ZERO percent (the world was flooding the US with funds even then because we were one of the safe places, even still) and used the amount to rebuild our infrastructure as well as embark on much needed improvements. The amount should have been somewhere between $3-5 Trillion. Yeah…MASSIVE. Why so much???

Well, firstly, we’re going to have to pay that bill, anyway. As Flint has shown, we’ll have to replace lead pipes all across the country and upgrade/replace outdated water treatment systems including the ability to treat for sodium which they can’t now such that some city water is technically clean, but not safe for children or heart patients/elderly people.

Now, if we go about it the way we “rebuilt” Iraq, yeah, it wouldn’t be worth it. However, with smart project management, efficiencies can be found and executed. Understand that mostly this wouldn’t be the “government” building anything, but private firms building according to government plans or guidelines and if private contractors can build nuclear submarines and work with the government, it can work with bridges, water treatment plans and schools.

With such an infusion in the hands of people who LIVE and WORK, the demand would be immense. At that point, it would be incumbent upon the Fed to manage inflation, Federal and state legislatures to deal with regulations to encourage entrepreneurship without selling out the environment or workers and All level of governments to FINALLY realize that creating JOBS doesn’t mean dooky squat if people can’t GET TO WORK.

Here in Central Florida, Public Transportation is laughable. Our Criminal Governor Rick Scott torpedoed a high speed rail that was mostly paid for and was shovel ready (and I mean shovel ready in a way that isn’t hyperbole. When the I-4 was put in, it was designed with some kind of rail system in mind and even graded such that the ONLY change needed along the entire path, only one rail overpass would need to be either lifted or removed. That’s it. So, there’s no high speed rail connecting Orlando with Tampa. Orlando has more jobs and Tampa has a bunch of bedroom communities with workers. Moreover, the tourism possibilities were immense. Disney and Universal were crazy about the idea of being able to tap into the beaches of the Gulf Coast as well as the Tampa Cruise Terminal. So much synergy…

Point being that this was just one example of MANY in which those synergies were allowed to lapse for personal gain of a few. Thus, even if an entrepreneur in Tampa or Orlando wanted to succeed, there are real barriers in place. Like…how does an employee GET to work? How do customers get to you?

Principal doesn’t want to build public roads or bridges or sewage plants or schools or internet infrastructure or any number of other things that are critical for us as a society.

Principal demands return like the mob. Remember Ray Liotta in Good Fellas? That’s principal. “But we need jobs.” “Fuck you, pay me.” “But we need clean water.” “Fuck you, pay me.” “But the bridges are about to collapse!” “Fuck you, pay me.”

That’s principal. Principal is a reluctant job creator, it at all.

Again allow the wealthy the option of lowering their ADDITIONAL tax burden by investing in US job creation.

With all the talk about principal and Wall Street I wonder if you get it. You seem to be flying high over the problem. I only had two econ classes in college. Perhaps you had more? I’m not talking about people with the cash to invest in Wall Street. I’m not talking about Wall Street investing in private business two blocks off of Main Street either. I’m not talking about crowd source funding or any other internet access funding during the open hours of the public library either. I’m talking about businesses started out of desperation on a shoestring to bring some money in. When that effort begins to succeed the government takes notice and the regulations either end the business or forces the owner into debt to comply. That is the system in place today throughout this nation.

• This reply was modified 9 years, 1 month ago by bnw.

Major General Smedley Butler got it right. So did Eisenhower when he left office.

As for job creation, that’s just not justified by basic economics.

Principal demands return. Period. Wages are a drag on returns and thus in maximizing returns, wages are minimized or eliminated.

Which means, principal seeks return in which there are few people required or no people required.

Why do you think speculative returns on Wall Street are so attractive? They can get returns and have ZERO of the drags on the net such as wages. The only thing to manage is risk which is still evident in any venture in which there are jobs, be it retail, manufacturing, service sector, health care, etc.

Thus, the BIGGEST LIE of all is that the wealthy are job creators. They are not. The wealthy are wealth hoarders. Their investments have proven to NOT create jobs, certainly not in the US. The returns they seek are too great for that to happen here.

The actual math is that what should have happened initially instead of some piddly little stimulus was a MASSIVE, MASSIVE stimulus in which the country borrowed at ZERO percent (the world was flooding the US with funds even then because we were one of the safe places, even still) and used the amount to rebuild our infrastructure as well as embark on much needed improvements. The amount should have been somewhere between $3-5 Trillion. Yeah…MASSIVE. Why so much???

Well, firstly, we’re going to have to pay that bill, anyway. As Flint has shown, we’ll have to replace lead pipes all across the country and upgrade/replace outdated water treatment systems including the ability to treat for sodium which they can’t now such that some city water is technically clean, but not safe for children or heart patients/elderly people.

Now, if we go about it the way we “rebuilt” Iraq, yeah, it wouldn’t be worth it. However, with smart project management, efficiencies can be found and executed. Understand that mostly this wouldn’t be the “government” building anything, but private firms building according to government plans or guidelines and if private contractors can build nuclear submarines and work with the government, it can work with bridges, water treatment plans and schools.

With such an infusion in the hands of people who LIVE and WORK, the demand would be immense. At that point, it would be incumbent upon the Fed to manage inflation, Federal and state legislatures to deal with regulations to encourage entrepreneurship without selling out the environment or workers and All level of governments to FINALLY realize that creating JOBS doesn’t mean dooky squat if people can’t GET TO WORK.

Here in Central Florida, Public Transportation is laughable. Our Criminal Governor Rick Scott torpedoed a high speed rail that was mostly paid for and was shovel ready (and I mean shovel ready in a way that isn’t hyperbole. When the I-4 was put in, it was designed with some kind of rail system in mind and even graded such that the ONLY change needed along the entire path, only one rail overpass would need to be either lifted or removed. That’s it. So, there’s no high speed rail connecting Orlando with Tampa. Orlando has more jobs and Tampa has a bunch of bedroom communities with workers. Moreover, the tourism possibilities were immense. Disney and Universal were crazy about the idea of being able to tap into the beaches of the Gulf Coast as well as the Tampa Cruise Terminal. So much synergy…

Point being that this was just one example of MANY in which those synergies were allowed to lapse for personal gain of a few. Thus, even if an entrepreneur in Tampa or Orlando wanted to succeed, there are real barriers in place. Like…how does an employee GET to work? How do customers get to you?

Principal doesn’t want to build public roads or bridges or sewage plants or schools or internet infrastructure or any number of other things that are critical for us as a society.

Principal demands return like the mob. Remember Ray Liotta in Good Fellas? That’s principal. “But we need jobs.” “Fuck you, pay me.” “But we need clean water.” “Fuck you, pay me.” “But the bridges are about to collapse!” “Fuck you, pay me.”

That’s principal. Principal is a reluctant job creator, it at all.

Rams will be patient, but Jared Goff likely to start sooner than later

Nick Wagoner

http://espn.go.com/blog/st-louis-rams/post/_/id/29179/rams-will-be-patient-but-jared-goff-likely-to-start-sooner-than-later

LOS ANGELES — The best-laid plans of NFL teams can change at the drop of a hat. Or, perhaps in the case of the Los Angeles Rams, at the cost of a move from No. 15 to No. 1 in the 2016 draft.

Soon after making their move up the draft board, the Rams’ biggest decision was whether to take Cal quarterback Jared Goff or North Dakota State signal-caller Carson Wentz. Now, the biggest question facing Goff and the Rams isn’t who but when.

As in when will Goff take over as starting quarterback for a team that finished at the bottom of the league in most major passing categories a year ago?

History shows there’s not necessarily a right or wrong approach to throwing a top pick into fire. More often than not, such choices have proved dependent almost solely on the individual.

Rams coach Jeff Fisher knows a thing or two about handling such situations. The then-Houston Oilers drafted Steve McNair, the best quarterback Fisher ever coached, with the third pick in 1995. McNair promptly went to the bench, making only brief cameos before taking over full time as the starter in 1997.

“Steve did play under center his junior year in a pro-style system and then got in the shotgun his senior year,” Fisher said. “We were very patient with him and he was asked numerous times, ‘When are you going to play?’ and it’s the same thing that Jared said, ‘When the coaches say I’m ready for it.’ I think we handled it well. We’re not going to follow that same model because he’s got a different skill set than Steve.”

The model the Rams will follow is more likely one taken from a page in general manager Les Snead’s history. As one of the key personnel evaluators for the Atlanta Falcons, Snead was part of the group that drafted quarterback Matt Ryan in 2008. The Falcons insisted Chris Redman would be their starter until Ryan was ready. As it turned out, Ryan was ready around Week 3 of the preseason and went on to start 16 games as a rookie. The same was true of Joe Flacco in Baltimore.

In fact, over the past eight years there has been a growing trend of quarterbacks who were taken early starting right away. In addition to Flacco and Ryan, Matthew Stafford, Mark Sanchez, Sam Bradford, Cam Newton, Andrew Luck, Robert Griffin III, Jameis Winston and Marcus Mariota were all Week 1 starters in their first season.

The lone exception among top signal-callers taken recently was Jacksonville’s Blake Bortles, who sat the first two games and part of a third before playing and becoming the starter.

Of course, that list of quarterbacks has produced varying levels of success.

“Well everybody is different,” Fisher said. “Jameis is different than the next quarterback. We have always had the philosophy that we are going to play them when we think they are ready. We aren’t going to subject them to fail, so whenever that is you are going to see him under center. We aren’t going to come out Day 1 and announce that he is a starter. It’s going to happen pretty soon, sooner than probably later.”

For Goff, learning the offense won’t be easy as he transitions from Cal’s “Bear Raid” spread system to a more pro-style offense. The Rams will help him by adding some concepts he’s comfortable with, and they view Goff as a quick study based on what they’ve already seen.

At last weekend’s rookie orientation, Fisher was walking through the team’s temporary Oxnard meeting areas when he encountered Goff leaving the quarterback room at 10 p.m., long after the day’s scheduled meetings were done.

“He’s a guy that understands priorities,” Fisher said. “He knows how to budget his time and where to spend his time. It’ll change a little bit. We’ll get him some information this week so he can stay up as we continue to install. He’s handled everything. As I’ve mentioned before, he’s got that internal, competitive drive that you don’t see. He doesn’t wear it on his sleeve. He’s going to make sure that everything’s right.”

For his part, Goff has acknowledged that he’d like to play right away but also has said he’s proving himself to the coaches and leaving the decision in their hands. Upon getting his first taste of the Rams’ playbook, Goff said there were things, especially in the shotgun, that translate from college.

The difficult thing for Goff is adjusting to playing under center more and learning the terminology.

“The way they say it, and they’re absolutely right, it’s almost like you’re learning a different language,” Goff said. “It’s from any system you come from in college – it doesn’t really matter. It’s like you’re going into Spanish class and you have to become fluent in Spanish over however long the time is. That’s kind of what it is.”

There’s plenty of time for Goff to get up to speed between now and the season opener on Sept. 12. The Rams have Case Keenum in place to offer competition,but it’s unlikely anyone but Goff will start that game against San Francisco.

“I always thought when you invest that much, unless you have Brett Favre sitting on your team, I think you have got to play him,” former NFL coach Rick Venturi said. “I have always believed that. You learn by doing and the only thing you learn sitting is you learn how to sit.”

Even Fisher, who won’t make any sweeping declarations before he absolutely has to, has dropped plenty of hints that it won’t take long for Goff to take over.

“He may start the opener on Monday night, we don’t know, but that’s the goal,” Fisher said.

It would be a surprise if that’s a goal the Rams and Goff don’t accomplish.

Brugler on Spruce.

NELSON SPRUCE | Colorado
6011|206 lbs|5SR Westlake Village, Calif. (Westlake) 12/5/1992 (age 23) #22
GRADE 6th-7th Round
MEASUREABLES Arm: 30 | Hand: 10 | Wingspan: 72
COMBINE 40-YD: 4.69 | 10-YD: 1.63 | 20-YD: 2.72 | BP: 12 | VJ: 35 | BJ: 09’06” | SS: 4.20 | 3C: 7.09 PRO DAY 40-YD: 4.58 | 10-YD: 1.63 | 20-YD: 2.67 | SS: 4.38 | 3C: 7.20

BACKGROUND: A three-star wide receiver recruit out of high school, Spruce committed to Colorado over offers from Washington State, Northwestern and others. After redshirting in 2011, he became a starter as a redshirt freshman in 2012, recording 44 receptions for 446 yards and three touchdowns. Spruce finished second on the team in receiving as a sophomore behind Paul Richardson, finishing with 55 catches for 650 yards and four scores. He had his most productive season as a junior in 2014 with a school-record 106 catches for 1,198 yards and 12 touchdowns, earning Second Team All-Pac 12 honors. Spruce returned in 2015 as a senior and again led the team with 89 receptions for 1,053 yards and four scores, earning Second Team All-Pac 12 honors. Spruce accepted his invitation to the 2016 East-West Shrine Game, but was unable to play due to injury.

STRENGTHS: Large suction hands and provides a large strike zone for his quarterback…quick eyes to snatch and quickly survey the field…understands how to create room to work at the top of routes, using savvy hesitation and body fakes…pushes patterns to hold defenders with sharp footwork to force defensive backs off balance…tough over the middle and avoids the big hit, not allowing impending contact to disrupt his focus…physical to the ball and wins 50-50 situations with timing…not an explosive start/stop athlete as a return man, but patient with excellent vision, averaging 6.1 yards per return (32/194/0)…hardworking mindset and football is important to him…durable four-year starter and two-year team captain…highly productive and holds over 40 school records, including the Pac-12 record for career catches (294) – winner of the 2015 Buffalo Heart Award, which is voted by fans and presented to the Colorado senior who best demonstrates heart and competitive spirit of a Buff.

WEAKNESSES: Quicker than fast and lacks the long-speed to intimidate defensive backs…pedestrian size, length and functional strength and can be out-muscled in traffic…struggles to shift gears in his routes and doesn’t play with explosive traits…marginal leaper and struggles to highpoint…not a vertical threat and did most of his damage in the short-to-intermediate passing game – never averaged over 12.0 yards per catch in a season…not a consistent YAC threat with stiff body control and below average elusiveness…vulnerable vs. the jam and labors once slowed…struggles to sustain or leverage blocks.
SUMMARY: A four-year starter at Colorado, Spruce leaves Boulder with almost every receiving record, including career catches (294), receiving yards (3,347) and touchdown catches (23) – only the third receiver in school history to reach the 1,000-yard mark twice. He is an ordinary athlete with better route acceleration than pure speed, but is a natural catcher of the football and crutch for the passing game. Although he won’t create much with the ball in his hands, Spruce plays with savvy, competitive toughness and decisive routes to create separation and be a model of consistency – bottom of the roster pass-catcher who can line up at any of the receiver spots and fill in as a back-up punt returner.

Dane Bruglar on the prospects:

TYLER HIGBEE | Western Kentucky 6056|249 lbs|5SR Clearwater, Fla. (East Lake) 12/31/1992 (age 23) #89 GRADE 3rd-4th Round
MEASUREABLES Arm: 33 1/4 | Hand: 10 1/4 | Wingspan: 80 7/8 COMBINE N/A (injury; left knee)
PRO DAY N/A (positional drills only)

BACKGROUND: A two-star wide receiver recruit out of high school, Higbee received two FBS-level scholarship offers, committing to Western Kentucky over Colorado State. He caught two passes for 92 yards as a true freshman receiver in 2011 before redshirting in 2012, making the transition to tight end. He started three games as a sophomore in 2013, recording 13 catches for 169 yards and one touchdown. Higbee started three games again in 2014 as a junior and posted 15 receptions for 230 yards and four touchdowns. Despite battling injuries, he had his most productive season as a senior in 2015 (eight starts), finishing with 38 catches for 563 yards and eight touchdowns, earning First Team All-CUSA honors. Higbee accepted his invitation to the 2016 Senior Bowl, but was forced to pull out due to injury.

STRENGTHS: Speed to threaten the seam with smooth acceleration…athleticism to catch the ball without breaking stride, creating YAC…soft hands and extends to snag, looking the ball into his large mitts…natural body control and coordination to adjust and complete inaccurate throws…displays savvy and quickness at the top of routes, showing little wasted motion…doesn’t allow defenders to slow him in his patterns…wins 50-50 balls due to body position and strength, absorbing contact and keeping his focus…competitive ballcarrier and barrels through contact…has committed himself to adding weight to his frame with growth potential to add more bulk…holds his own as a blocker, extending and looking to engage his target…can get on the perimeter and take out defenders…production has improved each season, including career-bests as a senior.

WEAKNESSES: Former wideout who is still developing the muscle on his frame…needs to tweak technical issues as a route runner, including depth and timing…more of a get-in-the-way blocker, lacking the upper body power or hand strength to latch-and-drive…limited core strength and inline hip snap – pops at contact, but doesn’t sustain…doesn’t always play as big as he looks at the catch point…allows the ball into his frame at times…needs to better secure the ball after the catch – two career fumbles…below average career production despite a pass happy offense and record-breaking quarterback…strong durability concerns, missing four games and parts of a several others as a senior due to a left knee sprain (Oct. 2015) – injury also kept him out for the Senior Bowl and NFL Combine.

SUMMARY: A one-year starter, Higbee is a receiver-turned-tight end who steadily progressed over his career and emerged as an impact player in 2015 despite battling a knee issue most of the season. He has natural receiving traits with reliable focus and smooth athleticism to create mismatches down the field and between the hashes. Higbee lacks the prototypical bulk or strength to be a true inline blocker right now, but he has the physical temperament and frame to grow into that type of role. He has the tools to start in the NFL once he adds polish to his game, but the key to his evaluation is the health of his knee, which plagued him over the last six months – top-100 talent, who might last until day three due to the medical questions.

PHAROH COOPER | South Carolina 5111|203 lbs|3JR Havelock, N.C. (Havelock) 3/7/1995 (age 21) #11 GRADE 2nd Round
MEASUREABLES Arm: 32 1/4 | Hand: 09 1/8 | Wingspan: 75 COMBINE BP: 15 | VJ: 31 | BJ: 09’07”
PRO DAY 40-YD: 4.59 | 10-YD: 1.64

BACKGROUND: A four-star athlete recruit out of high school, Cooper’s dream school was North Carolina, but because he didn’t have a “good feel” with the Tar Heels coaching staff, he spurned their recruitment and signed with South Carolina – arrived in Columbia as a safety before moving to receiver. He played in 11 games as a true freshman, spending most of his time on special teams as the featured kickoff returner. Cooper became a starting wide receiver as a sophomore in 2014 and had a breakout season with 69 catches for 1,136 yards and nine touchdowns (all-career highs), earning First Team All-SEC honors. He produced similar numbers as a junior in 2015, leading the Gamecocks with 66 receptions for 973 yards and eight scores and again earning First Team All-SEC honors. Cooper elected to skip his senior season and enter the 2016 NFL Draft.

STRENGTHS: Good muscle tone and has worked hard to develop his physique…electric athlete with light feet and creative moves, showing the strong strides to accelerate and eliminate pursuit angles…hits top speed instantly with excellent plant-and-go movements in his routes, not losing any speed in his breaks…smoothly changes directions without slowing down, allowing him to work back to the ball and separate in his patterns…terrific vision as a ballcarrier and follows blocks well…quick hands and reliable ballskills to be a catch-and-go threat…very good focus to pluck poor throws without breaking stride…high degree of toughness over the middle and doesn’t allow impending contact to spook him…plays his butt off each snap and never goes half speed…versatile offensive threat in college with a lot of direct snaps, averaging 7.2 yards per rush (71/513/4) and completing 56% of his passes (9-for-16/118/4)…offers return experience on special teams, averaging 4.7 yards per punt return (36/170/0) and 22.4 yards per kickoff return (16/359/0)…humble character, high-effort worker and very coachable…comes from a disciplined background, growing up in a military family – grandfather and father were Marines and his brother is currently serving in the Marines.

WEAKNESSES: Ordinary height and length for the position, limiting his catch radius…better play speed than timed speed…wasn’t asked to run a sophisticated route tree in college and still learning the nuances at the stem of patterns…will have some double-catches and needs to do a better job tracking over his shoulder…will hold the ball loose and away from his body, leading to ball security concerns – seven career fumbles…inconsistent on-the-move efficiency as a blocker, showing effort to deliver pop, but struggles to sustain…high volume of touches in college led to physical collisions, limping off the field several times on film – wore a heavy brace due to a sprained left knee (Sept. 2015).

SUMMARY: A two-year starter, Pharoh Cooper (named after the Egyptian kings) was a do-everything weapon for the Gamecocks’ offense the last two seasons, overcoming poor quarterback play to earn First Team All-SEC honors as a sophomore and junior – lined up mostly as an inside and outside receiver, but also took snaps at quarterback and running back. He is a playmaker with the ball in his hands, displaying the play speed, elusive cuts and start/stop movements to create on his own and generate separation as a route-runner. Despite only average size, Cooper doesn’t worry about contact and is always working to get open, never taking a play off. A similar prospect as Randall Cobb out of Kentucky, Cooper is a superb talent and person who will contribute in the NFL as a rookie – second round prospect who can be a jack-of-all-trades for an offense.

12. TEMARRICK HEMINGWAY | South Carolina St. 6047|244 lbs|5SR Loris, S.C. (North Myrtle Beach) 7/30/1993 (age 22) #81

GRADE 6th-7th Round
MEASUREABLES Arm: 34 | Hand: 10 | Wingspan: 81
COMBINE 40-YD: 4.71 | 10-YD: 1.67 | 20-YD: 2.76 | BP: 18 | VJ: 30.5 | BJ: 09’07” | SS: 4.31 | 3C: 6.88 PRO DAY N/A

BACKGROUND: A no-star wide receiver recruit, Hemingway grew up in a small town and weighed only 180-pounds out of high school, causing him to go under- recruited by FBS programs. He received several FCS-level offers and committed to South Carolina State, redshirting in 2011. Hemmingway saw action as a true freshman in 2012 (two starts) and recorded 11 catches for 164 yards and one touchdown. He saw his playing time increase as a sophomore, recording 26 receptions for 223 yards and a career-high four touchdowns. Hemingway started 11 games as a junior in 2014 and earned First Team All-MEAC honors with 18 catches for 251 yards and one score. He started every game as a senior in 2015 and finished with 38 receptions for 418 yards and one touchdown, earning First Team All-MEAC and All-American honors. Hemingway accepted his invitation to the 2016 NFLPA Collegiate Bowl.

STRENGTHS: Skyscraper with arms and projectable frame…uses his reach to extend and highpoint, climbing the ladder…big-bodied target to split defenders and manipulate the middle of the field – consistently beat linebackers between the hashes with his whip routes on film…long, fluid strides to accelerate off the line of scrimmage and threaten the seam…flexible lower body to make strong cuts and create separation at the stem…smooth route-runner, using patience and body fakes to sell patterns…stabs at the catch point, not allowing traffic to alter his focus…good pop at initial contact as a blocker…worked hard to develop his frame, adding 60+ pounds since arriving at South Carolina State…All-American senior season and graduated with a degree in business administration (Dec. 2014)…focused, well- respected individual and earned the 2015 Walter Payton Achievement Award, which is given to the student-athlete in the MEAC/SWAC Challenge who best shows character and team spirit.

WEAKNESSES: Lean-limbed and lacks prototypical thickness and build for the position…one-gear athlete and lacks variety in his routes…most of his patterns were within seven yards of the line of scrimmage and didn’t give the secondary much to worry about on film…picks and chooses his aggressiveness at the catch point…not doing much after contact as a ballcarrier – doesn’t run as big as he looks…holds the ball too loose, leading to fumbles…upright blocker and struggles to sustain…late to recognize blocking angles and gain proper positioning…below average career production, especially in the end zone with only two combined touchdowns the last two seasons.

SUMMARY: A three-year starter at South Carolina State, Hemmingway was used as a versatile “Y” tight end and lined up inline, wing and in the slot, running mostly short-to-intermediate routes. He shows the fluid athleticism and patience in his patterns to create separation against linebackers, making a living between the hashes. Hemmingway has long vines for arms and uses his size to out-rebound the ball, but needs to consistently play up to his size and match the physicality of defenders attacking the ball. Although incredibly raw in several areas, Hemmingway is an intriguing size/speed athlete with upside to secure a NFL roster spot if given time to develop his power and mental toughness – day three developmental tight end in the mold of Ladarius Green.

JOSH FORREST | Kentucky 6031|249 lbs|5SR Paducah, Ky. (Tilghman) 2/24/1992 (age 24) #45
GRADE 6th Round
MEASUREABLES Arm: 33 1/2 | Hand: 09 1/2 | Wingspan: 81 5/8
COMBINE 40-YD: 4.88 | 10-YD: 1.69 | 20-YD: 2.83 | BP: 11 | VJ: 30.5 | BJ: 09’10” PRO DAY 40-YD: 4.83 | 10-YD: 1.74 | 20-YD: 2.80 | SS: 4.38 | 3C: 7.53

BACKGROUND: A three-star tight end recruit out of high school, Joshua “Josh” Forrest committed to Kentucky as a wide receiver over Central Florida and redshirted for the Wildcats in 2011. Prior to the 2012 season, he switched from receiver to linebacker and tallied 13 tackles as a redshirt freshman, mostly on special teams. Forrest played in all 12 games as a sophomore in 2013 and gained more experience on defense with 16 tackles and his first career interception. He earned the starting middle linebacker job as a junior in 2014 (12 starts) and led the team with 110 tackles, adding 8.0t tackles for loss, four passes defended and two interceptions. Forrest again started all 12 games and led the team with 93 tackles as a senior, finishing with 6.0 tackles for loss, seven passes defended and two interceptions. He accepted his invitation to the 2016 Senior Bowl.

STRENGTHS: Tall, angular athlete with a frame that can be molded…terrific play range and flies to the ball, arriving with violent intentions…unlocks his hips with patient eyes to mirror ballcarriers…aggressive downhill angles and timing to shoot through the line of scrimmage and make plays in the backfield…physical mindset and looks to mix things up…squares well in the middle of the field to make stops…wide receiver ballskills, showing the tracking ability to adjust, drive and finish interceptions…turns into a playmaker after the interception, averaging 30.4 yards per return with two touchdowns (5/152/2)…two career blocked kicks on special teams coverages (one field goal, one punt)…graduated with a degree in community and leadership development…productive senior captain, starting every game the last two seasons.

WEAKNESSES: Very raw instinctively and often caught guessing and freelancing…wild pursuit angles and doesn’t see blockers, choosing to go the long way in order to avoid contact…upright play style and high center, causing limitations moving laterally…hyper-focused on what is happening in the backfield and loses receivers and tight ends in zone coverage – reacts, doesn’t anticipate…high tackler and too much of a hugger due to his tall pad level…late coming to balance on the move to break down and finish moving targets…streaky take-on effort, playing soft and not effectively using his length…jolted by blockers and too easily moved from his spot…doesn’t play through the whistle, giving up on plays too quickly.

SUMMARY: A two-year starter, Forrest earned the starting middle linebacker role as a junior and started every game there the past two years, leading the Wildcats in tackles both seasons. He didn’t play football until his junior year in high school and started his Kentucky career at wide receiver so his linebacker instincts are still in the development phase, lacking the anticipation or break down skills to play with desired consistency. Forrest is rangy vs. the run and plays faster than he timed, showing playmaking savvy when the ball is thrown in his area, but he is often late to react and gives up more plays than he makes in coverage. His raw traits and flashes on film are intriguing, but he is nothing more than a possible special teamer right now until his play anticipation catches up – some teams have worked him out as an edge rusher.

MIKE THOMAS | Southern Miss 6010|197 lbs|4SR Chicago, Ill. (DuSable) 8/16/1994 (age 21) #88
GRADE 4th-5th Round
MEASUREABLES Arm: 31 7/8 | Hand: 09 1/4 | Wingspan: 76 1/2
COMBINE N/A (not invited)
PRO DAY 40-YD: 4.53 | 10-YD: 1.59 | 20-YD: 2.61 | BP: 16 | VJ: 36 | BJ: 10’11” | SS: 4.29 | 3C: 7.06

BACKGROUND: A no-star wide receiver recruit, Michael “Mike” Thomas’ was known for basketball, not football, in high school and he went vastly under-recruited despite gaudy production. He started at nearby College of Dupage in 2012 before transferring to Dodge City Community College in Kansas for the 2013 season. Thomas was a two-star JUCO recruit and transferred to Southern Miss over Minnesota. He didn’t join the team until late in the summer so he was behind learning the offense as a junior in 2014, starting nine games and posting 41 catches for 592 yards and five scores to earn All-CUSA Honorable Mention honors. Thomas emerged as a legitimate NFL prospect as a senior in 2015 (13 starts), leading the team with 71 receptions for 1,391 yards and 14 touchdowns to earn First Team All-CUSA honors. He accepted his invitation to the 2016 NFLPA Collegiate Bowl.

STRENGTHS: Adequate height and length for the position…fleet-of-foot athlete with lower body flexibility…excellent footwork to sell and create separation in/out of breaks…runs his routes with tempo and timing, using subtle moves at the stem…catches the ball well in stride to be a consistent YAC target…smooth body control and muscle twitch to make acrobatic adjustments on the ball…quick hands to stab the ball away from his frame…attacks anything in his zip code with springs in his legs and steady focus…locked-in competitor and always alert, never taking a play off – worked his tail off to have a chance at the NFL…returned kicks at Southern Miss, averaging 22.8 yards per return with one career touchdown (41/936/1)…above average production as a senior, setting a new school-record for single-season receiving yards (1,391) and touchdown grabs (14).

WEAKNESSES: Pipe cleaner frame with skinny limbs and lean lower body…lacks the body strength to cleanly fight through press coverage…leggy routes and needs to sharpen his technique…focus at the catch point runs hot-and-cold, running before securing or bracing for impending contact – more double-catches that you want to see on film…struggles in 50-50 situations, lacking the girth to out-muscle defenders…can be overwhelmed as a blocker…needs to develop his acumen of coverages and concepts…only two season at the FBS-level, lacking ideal experience…lean frame leads to durability concerns, missing one game as a senior and parts of several others due to minor injuries.

SUMMARY: A two-year starter at Southern Miss, Thomas spent his junior season adjusting to the FBS and learning the playbook, setting up a breakout senior season as the starting “X” receiver and one of the top statistical wideouts in the country – led the nation in receiving yards per catch (19.6) among receivers with at least 63 catches in 2015. He moves fast and bursts off his plant foot to create room to work and be a threat after the catch. Thomas is fazed by traffic and his skinny body type gives teams pause that he’ll be able to hold up long-term, but his skill-set and competitive drive are worth betting on – one of the highest rated Combine snubs in this draft class and worthy of mid-round consideration.

• This reply was modified 9 years, 1 month ago by canadaram.

Zooey wrote:

waterfield wrote:

Well I pretty much disagree with every thing you wrote-and I have no inclination to debate the issue point by point. So I give you that. However, following both her and her husband throughout their careers it is my belief that these issues have a far better chance of moving forward in a progressive manner with her than the lockstep republican naysayers based solely on ideology. IMO Sanders and Trump are from the same cloth-bluster w/o any sort of road map.

And for the life of my I truly do not understand one saying they can sleep well at night with either Trump or Cruz as president. Oh well-I’m done here-I do not do well in never-never land.

I don’t know what Clinton supporters are thinking of when you say she will move forward in a progressive manner. You mean she may support letting transgender people go pee in a public restroom?

She is a neo-con in foreign policy. She supported the assassination of Qadaffi, creating yet another vacuum for ISIS to fill, and she wants to keep spending trillions on dropping bombs all over the Middle East – which we have a good 13 years of recent evidence of proving does not result in anything good. And that is all money taken away from Universal Health Care which she says in unrealistic even though plenty of countries much poorer than ours can afford it.

This entire primary season has proven that she is all about consolidating her power, not about the principle of democracy. There is no reason to believe she will work to reform our decidedly undemocratic democracy which disenfranchises voters (even when it is working properly which it isn’t), or lift a finger to roll back the influence of big money in politics.

I could go on. I mean…name one issue she is progressive on.

And the argument that Sanders is all bluster without a plan is plan old crap. The man has a long, accomplished record of getting things done. A better record than Hillary.

Finally, the condescending attitude of Clinton to Sanders supporters – echoed in your classification of us as being children in “never-never land,” just goes to show how completely out of touch with Main Street she and her supporters within the establishment are.

I am tired of voting for the lesser of two evils. It is not acceptable to me to be limited by that choice any longer. For 36 years we have been told to be patient, and our turn will come. It’s obviously not going to come until the Democrat establishment is blown the hell up, and people take over the party, and insist on progressive policies.

As horrendous as the possibility of 4 Trump years is, the prospect of 8 years of Hillary is potentially worse for progressives because she won’t do anything, and the natural pendulum swing in the White House suggests Hillary’s successor will be a Republican. A vote for Hillary is a vote to punt with only a minute left in the game, and no timeouts left.

The seas are rising, the bombs keep falling, we have a worse child mortality rate than CUBA, and the corporations are not going to stop trying to strangle net neutrality precisely because the free net allowed Sanders to make as much headway as he did. Without a neutral net, the game will be over.

That’s a fantastic reply.

I don’t understand Clinton supporters. Why are they so in love with the status quo? Why do they accept all this money in politics with a wink and a nod? I just don’t get them at all.

This is an incredibly tough choice for me–and honestly–not 100 percent sure what I’ll do. If I vote for Clinton in the GE I just become another enabler of the whole thing. I can’t tell you how sick I am of that. My only motivation is fear of a Trump Presidency. I probably won’t know for certain which way I’ll go until I step in the voting booth in November. I won’t feel good either way when I come out.

waterfield wrote:

Well I pretty much disagree with every thing you wrote-and I have no inclination to debate the issue point by point. So I give you that. However, following both her and her husband throughout their careers it is my belief that these issues have a far better chance of moving forward in a progressive manner with her than the lockstep republican naysayers based solely on ideology. IMO Sanders and Trump are from the same cloth-bluster w/o any sort of road map.

And for the life of my I truly do not understand one saying they can sleep well at night with either Trump or Cruz as president. Oh well-I’m done here-I do not do well in never-never land.

I don’t know what Clinton supporters are thinking of when you say she will move forward in a progressive manner. You mean she may support letting transgender people go pee in a public restroom?

She is a neo-con in foreign policy. She supported the assassination of Qadaffi, creating yet another vacuum for ISIS to fill, and she wants to keep spending trillions on dropping bombs all over the Middle East – which we have a good 13 years of recent evidence of proving does not result in anything good. And that is all money taken away from Universal Health Care which she says in unrealistic even though plenty of countries much poorer than ours can afford it.

This entire primary season has proven that she is all about consolidating her power, not about the principle of democracy. There is no reason to believe she will work to reform our decidedly undemocratic democracy which disenfranchises voters (even when it is working properly which it isn’t), or lift a finger to roll back the influence of big money in politics.

I could go on. I mean…name one issue she is progressive on.

And the argument that Sanders is all bluster without a plan is plan old crap. The man has a long, accomplished record of getting things done. A better record than Hillary.

Finally, the condescending attitude of Clinton to Sanders supporters – echoed in your classification of us as being children in “never-never land,” just goes to show how completely out of touch with Main Street she and her supporters within the establishment are.

I am tired of voting for the lesser of two evils. It is not acceptable to me to be limited by that choice any longer. For 36 years we have been told to be patient, and our turn will come. It’s obviously not going to come until the Democrat establishment is blown the hell up, and people take over the party, and insist on progressive policies.

As horrendous as the possibility of 4 Trump years is, the prospect of 8 years of Hillary is potentially worse for progressives because she won’t do anything, and the natural pendulum swing in the White House suggests Hillary’s successor will be a Republican. A vote for Hillary is a vote to punt with only a minute left in the game, and no timeouts left.

The seas are rising, the bombs keep falling, we have a worse child mortality rate than CUBA, and the corporations are not going to stop trying to strangle net neutrality precisely because the free net allowed Sanders to make as much headway as he did. Without a neutral net, the game will be over.

The NFL Draft Report’s “Cream of the Crop” Series – The Complete Scouting Reports on the 2016 Draft’s Top Quarterbacks – Carson Wentz, Jared Goff and Paxton Lynch

http://nfldraftreport.sportsblog.com/posts/14237320/the-nfl-draft-report-s–cream-of-the-crop–series—the-complete-scouting-reports-on-the-2016-draft-s-top-quarterbacks—carson-wentz–jared-goff-and-paxton-lynch.html

THE NFL DRAFT REPORT PRESENTS THE 2016 NFL DRAFT QUARTERBACK ANALYSIS – PART II

In Part Two of our four-part series analyzing the 2016 NFL Draft Quarterback Class, The NFL Draft Report examines three potential first round prospects, looking at the gridiron careers from high school through college. Very detailed scouting reports and analysis are provided on North Carolina State’s Carson Wentz, California’s Jared Goff and Paxton Lynch from Memphis.

Also provided is a draft history, looking back at the NFL’s reliance of the quarterback position since the draft’s inception in 1936, the trends set after the two leagues merged to form a universal draft in 1970 and a look at the first round’s booms-&-busts over the years.

THE NFL’S QUARTERBACK DRAFT INFATUATION

Since the draft’s inception in 1936, 1,027 college quarterbacks have been selected. That figure includes 665 signal-callers entering training camp since the two leagues merged and held a universal draft in 1970. Since the turn of the century in 2000, 198 of these quarterbacks have heard their names called on draft day.

That group of passers includes 155 first round choices used since 1936, with 96 coming after the merger and 42 joining the league since the year 2000. Within that opening round collection, 31 have been the top overall selection during their respective draft year, with 21 earning that distinction since 1970 and eleven stepping on to the podium first since 2000.

Among the first round quarterbacks are thirteen that eventually ended up earning Hall of Fame honors. While Pittsburgh’s D’Angelo Williams might not be a fan of his, the measuring stick for elite quarterbacks – at least in the first round – has been Peyton Manning. Taken with the top pick in the 1998 draft by the Indianapolis Colts, among all first round quarterbacks, he leads that group in games played (266), games started (265), most victories (189), most pass completions (6,125), most pass attempts (9,380), most touchdown passes (539) and most yards passing.

John Hadl (tenth pick in the 1962 draft by Detroit) holds the dubious honor for throwing the most interceptions (268) among the first round passers – Manning ranks fifth on that chart with 251. Only nineteen first round quarterbacks have completed 2,500 passes during their career, while only eleven have attempted at least 5,000 throws. Ten signal-callers accounted for 250 touchdown tosses, but outside of Manning, only Miami’s Dan Marino (27th choice in 1983) has reached the 400-TD level (420).

Ten quarterbacks have accounted for at least 40,000 yards passing. However, outside of Manning (71,940) and Marino (61,361), the only other first round pick to tally at least 50,000 aerial yards was Denver’s John Elway, the top overall choice by Baltimore in 1983 before forcing a trade to the Broncos. Fourteen of these passers have recorded at least 200 interceptions. Behind Hadl, the only other QBs with at least 250 interceptions are Manning (251), Marino (252), Norm Snead (1961 second overall pick by Washington, 257 thefts) and Vinny Testaverde (Tampa’s top pick in 1987, 267).

As for mobile quarterbacks, Michael Vick (top pick by Atlanta in 2001) leads the first round group with 6,109 yards rushing. Hall of Famer, Otto Graham (fourth choice in 1944 by Detroit) is the top scoring producer among quarterbacks with 44 touchdown runs. That record will soon fall during the early stages of 2016, as Carolina’s top selection in 2011, Cam Newton, has already piled up 43 touchdowns on the ground during his short, but highly productive career.

Being a first round quarterback does not lead to entitlement. Eighteen first round choice at the position played no more that fifteen games before their careers ended, including five that appeared in less than ten contests and two that never reached the playing field – Harry Agganis, the 12th overall pick by Cleveland in 1952, and New York Titans’ fifth overall choice in 1962, Sandy Stephens.

Whether he gets another chance to play in this league, or not, perhaps the most polarizing first rounder in recent years is Cleveland’s castoff, Johnny Manziel, the 22nd pick in the 2014 draft. His off-field issues left him with a 2-6 record as a starter, throwing for seven touchdowns and seven interceptions before getting the boot.

Don Allard was the fourth overall pick by Washington in 1959, but he appeared in just five games and never threw a pass before quitting after the 1962 season. San Francisco guru, the late Bill Walsh, missed the target badly with his first round selection of Jim Druckenmiller in 1997. In two season, the Virginia Tech grad had one touchdown and four interceptions in six appearances.

Rich Campbell went to Green Bay with the sixth pick in 1981, but never started the seven games he played in through the 1984 schedule. Bobby Garrett appeared in nine games and gained 143 yards passing after he was the top overall choice by Cleveland in 1954. Outside of Druckenmiller, the other first round quarterbacks to start only one game during their careers were the Rams’ Terry Baker )top pick in 1963), who lasted eighteen games as a reserve through three seasons and Stan Heath, the fifth overall pick by Green Bay in 1949 who appeared in twelve contests during that lone season in the league.

The first round quarterback to perform in at least 100 games with the least amount of starts was Rice’s King Hill, the top overall pick in the 1958 by the Chicago Cardinals. He moved with the team to St. Louis before playing in Philadelphia and Minnesota. He compiled a 7-22-1 record as a starter, generating 5,553 yards passing that included 37 touchdowns and 71 interceptions from the 1958-69 seasons.

===

THE 2016 NFL DRAFT QUARTERBACK CLASS FIRST ROUND CONTENDERS

CARSON WENTZ Quarterback North Dakota State University Bison #11 6:05.2-237

In just two years as a starter, Wentz has delivered the Bison a pair of NCAA Football Championship Subdivision national championships. He has started just twenty-three games, compiling a 20-3 record at the helm. A right wrist fracture sidelined him for most of the second half of the 2015 schedule, but he returned in time to help the team record its fourth consecutive FCS title.

Despite those limited starting opportunities, Wentz finished his career ranking third in school history with 392 completions of 612 passes (61.2%) for 5,115 yards and 45 touchdowns while throwing only fourteen interceptions through 43 appearances. Quite mobile for a player his size, he also scored thirteen times and generated 1,028 yards on 216 carries (4.8 ypc). What he has become known for is his heroics, as he led the team to victory within the final minute of four contests as a Bison.

THE FAMILY SPORTS PROGRAM

With his imposing frame, Wentz looks more like a linebacker – in fact, much like his father, Zach, who was a standout linebacker. He captured All-Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference first-team honors in 1986, playing for the Northern State Wolves who earned the league title that year after Minnesota-Morris was forced to forfeit all their victories for using an ineligible player.

Carson’s older brother, Zach, was a pitcher and infielder for the North Dakota State baseball team. As a junior, he batted .292 and led the team in at-bats (216), runs (39), hits (63), doubles (17), homers (5) and total bases (95). His216 at-bats in 2011 were the second most in NDSU single-season history and he stretched a team-best 14-game hitting streak from the second weekend of play in February through the end of the end of spring break.

During that span, Zach went 26-for-62 (.419) over that span and raised his batting average from .111 to a season-high .380. He closed out his four-year career with a 13-16 record that included seven complete games as a pitcher. He also compiled a .334 batting average while recording 269 hits in 805 at bats, cracking 20 home runs and 133 runs batted in through 209 contests before signing a pro contract to play for the Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks in 2012.

Carson’s cousin, Connor, was a teammate on the North Dakota State football team, joining the Bison as a tight end in 2013. As a red-shirt freshman last season, he played in fifteen games. He managed to catch four passes for 42 yards, but two of those grabs were good for touchdowns.

THEY COULN’T SINK THIS BISMARCK PROSPECT

Wentz was a do-all type of athlete before graduating from Bismarck Century High School in 2011, where he competed in football, basketball and baseball. Off the field, he served as his class valedictorian. When he first arrived on campus as a freshman, he stood only 5-foot-8 and weighed in at 125 pounds. By the time he graduated four years later, he had grown ten inches and put on over one hundred pounds to his frame.

If only he could reach six-feet tall, he thought to himself. Then, just maybe, the high school coaches would look at him as the potential starting quarterback at Century High School. “That’s what I was praying for,” Wentz said. The prayers were answered, and then some. Before he became the 6-foot-6, 231-pound starting quarterback for North Dakota State in 2014, he was a growing boy in high school.

He reached 5-foot-10 as a sophomore and that’s when things really started to take off. He grew to 6-3 as a junior and 6-5 as a senior. “You could see the frame coming, but by no means did we estimate 6-5 or 6-6,” said Century head football coach Ron Wingenbach. “Just the physical awareness you see of Carson now is the most imposing thing. Look at the weight; he’s put on a lot of good pounds.”

The National Honor Society member led the Patriots to an 8-3 record, a conference title and to the state semi-finals as a gridiron sophomore and senior. He missed his junior football season after injuring his arm playing baseball, but he returned and was named the 2010 North Dakota Class 3A Player of the Year while playing for coach Wingenbach. He also received All-State at-large accolades, along with being named All-Conference at both quarterback and defensive back. As a senior, he completed 91-of-149 passes for 1,285 yards and 12 touchdowns. He rushed 85 times for 553 yards and 13 scores, in addition to recording 61 tackles and two interceptions.

A three-year starter for baseball team, he played first base for the 2010 American Legion and high school state runner-up teams. He batted .386 with 26 RBIs for Century High coach Mike Gustavsson as junior, and also hit .421 with 41 RBIs for the Bismarck Governors Legion. He was also a starting forward/center for the state’s top-ranked basketball team.

In two seasons as the Bison starting quarterback, Wentz has completed 63.25% of his passes (358-of-566) with 42 touchdown tosses
WENTZ DECIDES TO STAY CLOSE TO HOME

Wentz did not receive any major college scholarship offers as a late bloomer coming out of high school. The Central Michigan Chippewas were coached by Dan Enos back in 2011 and he was one of the few FBS coaches who showed interest in Wentz, who shut down his recruitment right before Central Michigan came through with an offer.

“They didn’t technically offer, but when I called to tell them I was confirming and declaring to go to North Dakota State University, they told me they were going to fly out this week to get me an offer. But I just wanted to go play and wanted to go win games and I think I made the right decision,” Wentz said.

Wentz might have had a change of heart if he had known he would pine on the bench during his first three seasons at NDSU. He was red-shirted his entire first season with the Bison, and in 2012, he was relegated to backup quarterback duties behind the Bison’s starting quarterback, Brock Jensen. In his college debut, Wentz completed all eight of his passes for 93 yards and threw his first touchdown pass after coming in to relieve Jensen during a 66-7 blowout victory over Prairie View A&M University. He finished that season completing 12 of 16 pass attempts for 144 passing yards and two touchdowns.

Although Wentz was still the second string quarterback in 2013, he appeared minimally in eleven games. He had his best game that season vs. Delaware State University, finishing with 10-of-13 completions for 105 passing yards and a touchdown. His season figures saw him complete 22 of 30 passes for 209 yards and a touchdown.

With Jensen having graduated, Wentz stepped into the starting role for the Bison in 2014, leading the team to a 15-1 record and another national title. He established school season records behind 228 completions of 358 passes (63.7%) for 3,111 yards, as his 25 touchdown tosses ranked second on the NDSU annual chart. He also averaged 4.7 yards per carry while scoring six times on the ground.

During a game vs. Western Illinois, Wentz caught a 16-yard touchdown pass from running back John Crockett and lead the Bison to a 17-10 comeback victory. He had his best game vs. Missouri State, throwing for 247 yards and five touchdowns. In his first National Championship game vs. Illinois State, he passed for 287 yards, a touchdown and rushed for 87 yards and scored a 5-yard scamper to give North Dakota State the lead with 37 seconds left, going on to a 29-27 win and the school’s fourth-straight national title.

The fifth year senior started the first six games on the 2015 schedule before suffering a right wrist fracture in the first half of the South Dakota clash. He had just thrown for 335 yards the previous week vs. Northern Iowa and even with his wrist injured, he completed 16-of-28 passes for 195 yards and two scores before leaving the USD contest.

After starting the first six games of the season and completing 63.7% of his passes for a total of 1,454 yards, and 16 touchdowns, he would go on to miss the next eight weeks of the season. He returned to practice in the beginning of December and was cleared to play in the National Championship. He would lead the Bison to its fifth consecutive FCS National Championship, running for two touchdowns and throwing for a third.

Wentz was also named the NCAA Division I Championship Game Most Outstanding Player for the second straight year. He finished the season connecting on 130-of-208 attempts for 1,651 yards and seventeen touchdowns vs. only four interceptions. He also scored six times as a ball carrier, averaging 4.7 yards on 63 rushes.

The four-time Missouri Valley Football Conference Honor Roll member would cap his career off the field, as the two-time MVFC All-Academic first-team selection added NCAA Elite 90 Award and 2015 CoSIDA Academic All-American of the Year honors. He was also a two-time CoSIDA Academic All-America and Academic All-District choice, in addition to receiving the 2012 and 2013 MVFC Commissioner’s Academic Excellence Award.

Wentz might have come from the small college ranks, but several league officials at the 2016 Senior Bowl called him the “most NFL-ready QB in years”
THE HIT OF THE SENIOR BOWL

When Michigan State quarterback Connor Cook opted not to play in the 2016 Senior Bowl, it gave Wentz a grand opportunity to shine under the spotlight in Mobile, Alabama during the cold 2016 January weather. The draft’s other top quarterback prospects, California’s Jared Goff and Memphis’ Paxton Lynch, are juniors and, thus, were ineligible to play in the game. Wentz seized the role of the top performer throughout practices, thus solidifying his status as the draft’s top signal-caller.

“I don’t know of any quarterback that doesn’t want to be the top guy in their class,” Wentz said, when told about Cook deciding not to attend the game. “And if you don’t think you are or don’t think you have the ability to be that, you’re probably in the wrong sport. Because we’re all competitors, we’re playing football here. We want to be the best at our respective positions, and that’s always the goal.”

Scouts and coaches throughout the Senior Bowl practices were impressed while often seeing Wentz put his outstanding accuracy, crisp passing, mechanical sharpness and decisiveness on display. In the game, he completed 6-of-10 passes for 50 yards. He then further showcased his athleticism at the 2016 NFL Scouting Combine. He ranked among the position’s top three performers in the 40-yard dash (4.77), the broad jump (9-foot-10) and the three-cone drill (6.86) while measuring in at 6-foot-5.2 and weighing 237 pounds.

WENTZ SCOUTING ANALYSIS

Body Structure…Wentz shows good upper and lower body bone structure, with solid chest, shoulder and arm thickness. He has a strong bubble and thighs, with well-defined calves and a frame that could develop to 245 pounds with no loss in quickness. Despite his impressive weight, he looks a bit lean, but he has very good power to break arm tackles on those occasions when he runs with the ball.

Athletic Ability…Wentz displays good quickness and mobility for his position, which is evident by the way he has to can elude pressure while keeping the ball secure. He is equally effective throwing on the move as he is standing in the pocket. He has good flexibility and leg drive moving back from center to his past set point. He has functional playing speed and while he won’t win many long distance foot races, he does show good balance to break arm tackles on the move. While not blazing fast, he does show fluid change of direction agility and good strength, evident by the fact that he converted 10-of-12 third-down carries into first downs as a junior. He runs with a normal stride and shows good movement retreating in the pocket. His balance and body control allow him to throw on roll-outs and he displays good lateral agility, evident by the way he slides to avoid pocket pressure. While more of a drop-back passer, he has the arm strength to throw on the move. With his feet, he did produce twelve touchdowns during his last 24 appearances.

Football Sense…Despite having just two seasons as a starter under his belt at NDSU, from “day one” of arriving on campus, you could tell from that first practice that Wentz was a good student of the game, one that can easily adjust from college ball to raise his game to another level in a pro style passing attack. There is no question that he has a solid feel for pre-snap reads, doing a nice job of making checks and locating secondary targets (he distributed the ball to an average of eight different receivers per game in 2014-15). He is a smart passer with keen eyes scanning the field, following through with his progressions, but most of his interceptions in 2014 (had ten) were the result of his targets passively making attempts at the ball in traffic (five of his thefts first touched NDSU players first before being picked off). He has those innate instincts, along with developing decision making skills that makes one feel he can handle a pro offense in a short time. He can easily be called a “student of the game,” as he is the type who will shut off the lights in the film room, and he does well in school and should not have problems digesting a complicated play book. Wentz reads coverage well and makes proper checks, showing football savvy and field smarts. He is quick to retain plays and takes the plays from the board to the field with no problems, and boasts some very impressive credentials academically, including All-American accolades.

Competitiveness…Wentz might play an elite position, but he takes pride in his blue-collar work ethic. He is a good team leader and has excellent huddle command, as he has proven to be both mentally and physically tough in the trenches (see 2015 South Dakota game – wrist injury). He is considered a coach on the field and is mature enough to take what the defenses give him, as he excels at keeping his mistakes to a minimum. He is confident in his leadership role and is rarely rattled, especially under pressure. He does the little extras to improve and shows good emotion on the field. He will step up and stand tall in the pocket, but when covered, he has confidence in his mobility, speed and tackle-breaking power to secure the ball and head up field as a ball carrier.

Work Habits…Wentz works hard in the off-season, and is starting to gain the reputation for being the type of player that the coaches will have to kick out of the film room. He is the type that will spend a considerable amount of time with his position coach during his spare hours. He has a good work ethic and is a fine student, along with being a respected leader in the huddle and locker room. He will play with pain and continues to gain poise and confidence working within a pro-style system. He has a team-first attitude and his leadership ability, takes control in the huddle and is a good leader-by-example type.

Wentz puts all of his power behind his deep throws, setting a school season-record with 3,111 aerial yards as a junior
Set Up…Wentz shows good balance and body control driving back from center, displaying the enough quickness with his feet to get into position to make all of his throws. He has good upper and lower body mechanics, as he also displays enough functional strength to break arm tackles on the move. He has developed into more of a classic drop back passer and has become more comfortable in a three- or five-step drop. He also has experience working from the shotgun. He does a nice job of scanning the field and looks comfortable setting up in the pocket and executing his follow-through. He shows good fluidity and quickness when he sets up and is a pretty athletic mover. He can throw on the move and while not blazingly fast going long distances, he sets up quickly and is ready to throw in an instant. He shows the ability to reach his throwing point while maintaining body control and his balance allows him to stand tall in the pocket.

Reading Defenses…In two seasons as a starter, Wentz proved to be very capable of handling the mental aspect of the game, as he was a master at improvising. He is a quick decision maker and even when he makes the wrong move, he does not allow his mistakes to linger and rarely shows any frustration on the field or in the huddle. He is a good field technician, knowing how to operate within the framework of the offense, which is predicated on him making quick reads and getting the ball out to his receivers even before his targets are able to break, as this prevents the opponents from getting into position to defend vs. his slower wide-outs. It is rare to see him force the ball into a crowd, and he excels at reading defenses. He shows excellent patience while sitting back, sifting through coverage and then picking apart zones (see 2015 Weber State, North Dakota and Northern Iowa games). When he forces some into coverage, it is because he holds the ball too long, but he is very good at distributing the sphere and looking for his secondary targets. The thing that stands out is his ability to throw with touch and good timing. When flushed out of the pocket, he has enough agility to throw on the run, but he is learning that without quality receivers, he is better served throwing the ball away than force the pass into traffic.

Wentz can connect with his receivers with incredible consistency. He tied the school game-record with five touchdown passes vs. Missouri State in 2014 and completed 29 tosses to ten different receivers in the 2015 Northern Iowa contest
Release …Wentz does throw with a ¾-release, but he has also developed that classic over-the-top, smooth delivery with a high release pro coaches desire. That low release does lead to several of his tosses getting batted down at the line of scrimmage. As soon as he gets to his throwing point, he is ready to unleash the ball. When he releases the ball from over-the-top, his throwing mechanics are much better and he shows more quickness and snap in his release. Because of his solid mechanics, he can launch the ball with accuracy, even when he does not have his feet set. With his compact, quick delivery over the top and a smooth motion getting rid of the ball, defenses have little time to settle under his throws, as he excels at hitting his receivers before they come out of their breaks. When he reverts to ¾-action, his mechanics get a bit inconsistent. He’s not blazingly quick, but on the move, he does a good job of keeping his shoulders square to the line of scrimmage.

Arm Strength…Wentz has very good arm strength to make all his throws, even when firing on the move or throwing off his back foot. He is very good at varying the speed on his tosses, showing good zip firing into tight areas. His ball speed is excellent, as it comes off his fingertips easily and receivers don’t have to make too many adjustments, as he leads his targets well. He generates a lot of velocity and ball speed, doing a nice job of throwing the ball across his body while displaying good hip flexibility. He has very good accuracy going long and a lively snap on the short tosses. He demonstrates very good arc on his long outs, as receivers settle over those throws to effortless secure over their outside shoulder. The thing he does best is to generate velocity behind his long throws, as he has a very easy and smooth release. With patient coaching, he will quickly develop confidence needed to release over the top rather than revert to a ¾-release.

Accuracy…Wentz has not only completed 64.1% of his passes at North Dakota State (third-best in school history), he has very good touch and velocity on short and intermediate throws. When playing the vertical game, he leads the receivers well, giving them the space they need to adjust. He is accurate at all levels both from the pocket, shotgun and when on the move (see 2015 Weber State and Northern Iowa; 2014 South Dakota and Missouri State games). He throws a catchable ball with zip or touch, making it easy for his receivers to be successful without breaking off their routes. He will generally throw a tight spiral with good zip on his deep throws and does a nice job of hitting his receivers in stride, as he knows how to adjust the velocity on his short tosses so his target does not have to work back for the ball. He gets good touch and has improved his trajectory on his deep throws, along with showing the ability to stick the ball in tight areas (see 2015 North Dakota and 2014 Incarnate Word games).

Touch…Wentz excels at anticipating the receivers routes and knowing when they will come open. He has very good overall timing and knows when to throw the ball. He will not hesitate to tuck and run with it when his receivers are covered. He knows when to take some heat off his short throws, resulting in better accuracy (see 2015 North Dakota, South Dakota State and Northern Iowa games). His timing is good from the three- and five-step drop backs, but when he holds on to the ball a little too long at times, it will result in more than a handful of sacks (see 2015 Jacksonville State game). He gets good trajectory on his deep throws and displays the ability to anticipate and make adjustments at the line to challenge the soft areas on the field.

Poise…Wentz is cool under pressure and will never be confused for a player with “happy feet” (won’t run at the first sign of pocket pressure). He is never flustered, even when having to hold the ball and throw in the face of a fierce pass rush. He does a nice job of setting his feet so he would not sail his deep passes high. He knows he does not have the foot speed to tuck the ball and run with it, so he stands tall in the pocket and will absorb the hit. He keeps his cool when forced to roll out and will throw the ball away if it takes too long for his targets to get open rather than force the pass into a crowd.

Leadership…Wentz shows that he has good command in the huddle. He is a vocal leader, but not one that will scream just to make a point. He has a strong desire to win and the team seemed to respond well to him, especially when he took over as the starter in 2015. During his time recovering from his wrist fracture, Wentz showed leadership by mentoring his replacement for eight games during the 2015 schedule.

Do not be fooled by Wentz’ linebacker-size frame. If given room to operate, he has no problem taking the ball to the house, scoring twelve times as a ball carrier during his two-year career as a starter
Pocket Movement…Wentz has good speed for a quarterback, but won’t win long distance foot races. He moves well in the pocket and with his power, he can generated first downs on his carries and he has had good success converting third-down snaps with his feet. He will never be confused for being a scrambler in the Robert Griffin III or Michael Vick mold, but he has enough leg drive to break arm tackles to advance the ball and move chains (see 2015 Montana and Jacksonville State games). He has a good feel for pocket pressure and knows when to step up or escape when his protection breaks down, as he does a nice job of buying time with his feet. He maintains his focus downfield, feeling the pressure well. He is more comfortable when dropping back, but has enough arm strength to roll out and throw.

Scrambling Ability…Wentz shows good movement, but is really not a great scrambler. He shows the ability to throw on the move. He just can run for big yardage when given a free lane, but is known more for his tackle-breaking ability and power. He has the anticipation skills to know when to step up in the pocket and buy time. With his strong lower frame, he can move the chains, but isn’t a fast or elusive threat to run. He has good body control rolling out in either direction and can throw with very good accuracy on the move.

CAREER NOTES…Wentz started 23-of-43 games at North Dakota State, where he compiled a 20-3 record while leading the Bison to back-to-back national titles…Completed 392-of-612 passes (64.1%) for 5,115 yards, 45 touchdowns and fourteen interceptions…Scored thirteen times on 216 carries that netted 1,028 yards (4.8 ypc), generating 6,143 yards in total offense…Was responsible for 59 touchdowns and also recorded three tackles, in addition to catching one pass for a 16-yard touchdown.

NCAA Career-Record Results…Among active NCAA Football Championship Subdivision players, Wentz ranks fifth with a passing efficiency rating of 153.95…He placed 25 with 59 touchdowns responsible for and ranks third by gaining an average of 7.42 yards per offensive play…His 6,153 yards in total offense is good for 35th within this group.

School Career-Record Results…Wentz ranks third on the school list with 392 completions of 612 passes for 5,115 yards and a pass completion percentage of .641. The only players ranked ahead of him are Brock Jensen (703-of-1,124 passes; 8,598 yards; 2010-130, Steve Walker (534-of-841 tosses for 7,033 yards; 2003-07), Tony Stauss (pass completion percentage of .663; 2003-04) and Arden Beachy (.648; 1990-93)…His passing efficiency rating of 153.95 also placed third on the school record chart behind Arden Beachy (168.6; 1990-93) and Chris Simdorn (159.2; 1987-90)…Ranks third in school annals with 45 touchdowns, surpassed by Brock Jensen (72) and Steve Walker (60)…Has compiled 6,143 yards in total offense, fifth-best by a Bison and his 59 touchdowns responsible for rank eighth.

School Season-Record Results…Wentz set the school records by completing 228-of-358 passes for 3,111 yards in 2014. The previous records were 220 completions by Tony Stauss in 2003, 338 attempts by Brock Jensen in 2012 and Jensen’s 2,793 aerial yards in 2013…His 2014 total of 25 touchdown passes rank behind Jensen’s 34 during the 2013 schedule…His seventeen touchdown throws in 2015 took the fifth spot on that annual chart…Wentz is only the second Bison to ever average 200 yards passing per game in a season (206.4 in 2014), joining Steve Walker (211.5 in 2007; 201.8 in 2006)…Holds the school record with 3,753 yards in total offense in 2014, joining Brock Jensen (3,272 in 2013) to amass over 3,000 yards in total offense during a season at NDSU.

===

JARED THOMAS GOFF Quarterback University of California at Berkeley Golden Bears #16 6:04.0-215 Novato, California Marin Catholic High School

With his thin frame and small hands, Goff has seen his detractors emerge since he attended the 2016 NFL scouting Combine, yet, he has his father, Jerry, to serve as a role model for perseverance. Jerry is a former major league baseball catcher who was drafted twice out of high school – first, by the Oakland Athletics and later, by the New York Yankees.

Jerry chose to attend the University of California, where he closed out his career ninth in school history with 29 home runs. He was later drafted in the third round of the 1986 major league baseball draft, 63rd overall, by the Seattle Mariners and he decided to turn professional.

Goff struggled with a low batting average while advancing through Seattle’s minor league system, but also showed good power. The Montreal Expos acquired him from Seattle in 1990, and he made his major league debut with them later that year. He returned to the minors for 1991, but spent parts of the next six years as a backup catcher for the Expos, Pittsburgh Pirates, and Houston Astros.

Goff continued to play professional baseball after his days in the majors were finished. While with the independent Amarillo Dillas, he was a member of the Texas–Louisiana League All-Star team in 1997. He worked as a firefighter in 2001 and was still playing semi-pro baseball for the Novato Knicks, an exhibition team based in Marin County, California.

Son, Jared, has had better success in staying in the lineup, having started all 37 games that he’s appeared in for Cal. He is the only quarterback in school annals to make his college debut as a starter and before he concluded his tenure with the Golden Bears, he boasts owning twenty-six school records.

Among those, Goff established career marks for passing yards (12,220), passing yards per game (329.7 ypg), TD passes (96), completions (977), passing attempts (1,569), total offense (12,086) and total plays (1,739), while the two-time captain was second on the school’s all-time list for passing efficiency (143.95) behind only Aaron Rodgers.

In his final season as a junior in 2015, Goff established Pac-12 Conference single-season records with 4,719 yards passing and 43 touchdown passes while becoming the first Cal quarterback to earn first-team All-Pac-12 honors since Rodgers in 2004. He led an 8-5 Cal team to a winning record and bowl game for the first time since 2011, as well as a post-season win for the first time since 2008.

MAKING HIS MARK AT MARTIN CATHOLIC HIGH

Goff combined to throw for 7,687 yards and 93 touchdowns with 18 interceptions in three varsity seasons at Marin Catholic High School, completing 477-of-767 passes (62.2%) for teams that combined to post a 39-4 overall record and 21-0 Marin County Athletic League mark on their way to one appearance in the state title game, one North Coast Section crown, three NCS playoff appearances and three MCAL championships.

Goff completed 57-of-100 passes (57.0%) for 816 yards with nine touchdowns and two interceptions as a 2010 sophomore for a team that won the MCL title and advanced to the NCS semifinals before finishing 12-1 overall and 7-0 in league play.

As a junior, Goff was successful on 185-of-299 passes (61.9%) for 3,179 yards with 44 touchdowns to only four interceptions in 2011. He earned first-team All-State (Max Preps), first-team All-Metro, MCL Player of the Year and first-team All-MCL honors for a team that reached the NCS finals and won the MCL title while compiling a 13-1 overall record and a 6-1 league mark.

In 2012, Goff earned All-American honors from Super Prep and played in the Semper Fidelis All-American Bowl, completing 4-of-6 passes for 29 yards. He was also selected for the Cal State Game, but did not play due to injury. He also racked up several other honors as a senior, including being named to the Top 150 Dream Team (Prep Star), second-team All-State (Cal-Hi Sports), All-NorCal (Max Preps), Metro Player of the Year (San Francisco Chronicle), North Bay Player of the Year, first-team All-Metro (Bay Area News Group, San Francisco Chronicle), Marin County League Player of the Year and first-team All-MCL.

That season, the senior quarterback led the Metro Area with 3,692 passing yards and 40 touchdown passes as a senior, completing 235-of-368 passes (63.9%) while throwing 12 interceptions. He threw for 262 yards and four touchdowns and ran for another in the Division III state championship game loss to San Diego Madison that completed a 14-2 senior season in which his squad won NCS and MCL titles.

The four-star recruit, according to 247Sports Composite, 247Sports, ESPN, Max Preps, Rivals and Scout, Goff was ranked as high as eighth nationally as a pro style quarterback according to Rivals, ninth by Prep Star and Super Prep, along with placing 15th by 247Sports. The 2012 Elite 11 finalist was also named MVP of the 2012 Oakland Nike Football Training Camp.

No matter how much media attention he’s received during his record-breaking 2015 campaign, Goff always has a moment for a young fan
FOLLOWING THE FAMILY TRADITION

While his father, Jerry, was known for his baseball skills at the University of California, he also lettered in football during the 1985 season. His son’s familiarity with the Cal campus was a primary reason that Jared, who was recruited by a number of college programs and received scholarship offers from Boise State, Fresno State and Stanford Cardinal football, chose the Golden Bears.

Goff was a mid-year enrollee at California in January, 2013, and joined the team for spring practice. In August, he was named starting quarterback for the 2013 season over redshirt freshman Zach Kline, becoming the first true freshman quarterback in Cal history to start a season opener.

Goff earned honorable mention All-Pac-12 Conference honors in his first collegiate season as a 2013 freshman when he first set the s school records for passing yards (3,508), passes completed (320) and total offense (3,446) before later surpassing all of the single-season marks. He started all twelve games, and although the team finished 1–11, he showed tremendous promise and finished the season with a .603 pass completion percentage, recording eighteen touchdown passes vs. ten interceptions. On the down side, he turned the ball over six times on ten fumbles, getting sacked 30 times while seeing 62 other passes deflected by the opposition.

As a sophomore, Goff again excelled, statistically. His 3,973 aerial yards and 35 touchdown passes set school records he would eventually break as a junior. He connected on 316-of-519 tosses (62.08%) and reduced his interception totals to seven, recording a 147.5 passing efficiency rating (fifth on the school season-record list).

In the Colorado contest, he threw a career-high seven touchdown passes, completing 24-of-42 passes for 458 yards. His 92-yard touchdown pass to Daniel Lasco against Colorado is the longest in school history. Then, in the Washington State tilt, Goff threw for a school-record 527 yards and five touchdowns in a 60–59 victory. He fumbled the ball nine times, with the defense recovering four, as the QB was sacked 25 times and had 66 passes batted down.

In 2015, Goff led the Bears to an 8-5 season finish, clinching Cal’s first winning campaign since 2011. He surpassed his own school records for passing yards (4,917), touchdown passes (43) and total offense (4,711). His yardage and scoring figures also set new conference marks. He was picked off thirteen times, including recording five pass thefts in the Utah clash, but he only fumbled the ball four times via 26 sacks last season. He was successful on 341-of-529 throws (64.46%) and became just one of two Cal players to ever amass 4,500 yards in total offense.

Goff threw for 453 yards and six touchdowns in a 54–24 victory over Oregon State, earning Pac-12 Offensive Player of the Week honors for the first time. Two weeks later, he set a new Cal game record with 542 passing yards in a 48-46 come-from-behind victory over Arizona State, earning Player of the Week honors for a second time. He would cap his career in the 2015 Armed Forces Bowl, throwing for six touchdowns and 467 yards while leading the Bears to a 55–36 victory.

THE DECISION TO TURN PRO

Two days after the bowl victory, Goff announced that he intended to forego his senior season at Cal and enter the 2016 NFL Draft. The two-time team captain finished his career with 12,220 passing yards and 96 touchdown passes among 26 school records over 37 games played all starts.

“I talked about it with my family and my close friends,” Goff said. “What it came down to really is I felt like I’m ready. I’ve done a lot here and I think I’ve had a great career here. I just felt ready to take the next step. I feel like I’m prepared and as ready as I’ve ever be to take the next step to being an NFL quarterback. That’s really what it came down to. I didn’t listen to too many outside influences. I just tried to focus on what I thought and what the people who matter to me thought. I didn’t think I would be emotional, but when I think all the people who have had an impact on me here, it’s hard to put into words, so I guess that’s why I’ve been a little bit emotional. Just thinking about all my teammates and all the fun we’ve had, it’s hard to say goodbye to that but I’m excited for what’s next.”

“It’s hard with all your players,” California head coach Sonny Dykes said. “Jared is part of a group of guys who have been here since we got here. Jared was part of our first recruiting class. We got to know him early in the process. He graduated early and got here in the spring. He’s been here for as long as I have. It’s hard to lose guys like that, especially everything we’ve gone through as a program and as a team. At the same time, you know things like this are going to happen. It’s inevitable. You’re excited for all your players and what’s next in their lives. Jared will receive more attention, but I’m excited to see what they all do when they’re all done with football. I think Jared has a really bright future. I’m looking forward to having the opportunity to watch him.”

“I am excited for Jared and his family as they move into their next challenge,” Cal offensive coordinator Tony Franklin said. “I include his family because I firmly believe that Jerry and Nancy have played an integral role in molding Jared into one of the best quarterbacks to ever play college football. But more important is how they raised him to being a really good human being with a heart and soul that all parents should strive for their children to possess. It has been a beautiful adventure traveling this journey with Jared and watching him develop from a skinny kid – who was extremely well coached in high school, to a young man with elite leadership skills that blended perfectly with his physical talent.”

Goff impressed during interviews and passing drills, but his slight frame and small hands drew concerns from several teams in the quarterback hunt, most notably – the Cleveland Browns
THE GOFF IMPACT ON THE RECORD BOOKS

Goff set 26 school records during his three seasons as the Cal’s starting quarterback from 2013-15 including career marks for passing yards (12,220), touchdown passes (96), total offense (12,086) and completions (977). He was also second on the school’s all-time list for passing efficiency (143.95) behind only Aaron Rodgers. He ranks third all-time in Pac-12 history in passing yards and fourth in passing touchdowns, while he is 26th all-time nationally in passing yards and 27th in passing touchdowns.

Goff also broke a pair of Pac-12 single-season records in his final season as a 2015 junior when he passed for 4,719 yards and 43 touchdowns to lead an 8-5 Cal team to a winning record and bowl game for the first time since 2011. He was also the first Cal quarterback to earn first-team All-Pac-12 honors since Rodgers in 2004, a semifinalist for the Davey O’Brien National Quarterback Award and Cal’s Most Outstanding Player in a Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl victory over Air Force when he set the bowl’s single-game records by passing for 467 yards and six touchdowns in his final collegiate game. The bowl victory was Cal’s first since a 2008 win over Miami in the Emerald Bowl.

Goff led the Pac-12 and ranked third in the nation in 2015 in both passing touchdowns and passing yards in 2015. He is also second in both nationally and in the conference in passing yards per game (363.0) among 10 categories in which he ranks among the top three in the conference and top 20 nationally.

Goff finished his career on an incredible run, combining for 1,462 yards passing and 17 touchdown passes to a single interception for a 206.33 passer efficiency rating during the final three wins (Oregon State, Arizona State, Air Forces) of his career over his last four games. He passed for a school-record 542 yards in the win over Oregon State.

Goff was a semifinalist for the Davey O’Brien National Quarterback Award and was on watch lists for nearly every quarterback and player of the year award in 2015 reaching as high as No. 3 on the USA Today Heisman Hot List and tied for sixth on the ESPN Heisman Watch after a 5-0 start that was the Golden Bears’ best since also winning their first five games in 2007 and one victory away from their best since the 1950 team won its first nine contests, ranking as high as No. 19 in the Amway Coaches Poll and No. 20 in the AP Top 25 in the Week 8 national rankings for its highest national rankings in six seasons.

“That’s what I wanted to accomplish when I came here is to get Cal back to where it was before, in the right direction, and I think we’ve done that. Going from 1-11 to being one win away from a bowl game last year and then winning eight games this year and finishing with a bowl victory is huge. We’re back in the right direction. Hopefully they can continue to do that and keep things on the upswing.”

THE NFL DRAFT AND THE CALIFORNIA GOLDEN BEARS QUARTERBACKS

Since the inception of the draft in 1936, only thirteen California quarterbacks have been drafted. Two of them – Mike Pawlawski (1992 eight round pick by Tampa) and Fred Besena (fifth round by Buffalo in 1977) never suited up in an NFL contest. Pat Barnes (1997 fourth round choice by Kansas City) and Dave Barr (fourth round by Philadelphia in 1995) appeared in just one and two games, respectively.

Five of the thirteen quarterbacks selected did hear their names called during the first round. In 1965, Dallas exercised the fifth pick in the draft to take Craig Morton. From 1965-to-1982, Morton appeared in 207 games, throwing for 27,908 yards, 183 touchdowns and 187 interceptions. It would not be until 1975 before another Cal passer would be taken in the opening round, as Atlanta utilized the top pick in 1975 to snatch Steve Bartkowski. He started 127-of-129 games, piling up 24,124 yards with 156 touchdowns, adding eleven scores on the ground.

In 1981, Rich Campbell was selected by the Green Bay Packers, but soon became known as GM Ron Wolf’s biggest failure. He appeared in seven games through four seasons, throwing for 386 yards, three touchdowns and nine interceptions in relief. 2003 Baltimore 19th overall pick, Kyle Boller started 47 games during his NFL career, collecting 8,931 yards with 48 touchdowns vs. 54 pass thefts.

The most successful of the California first round quarterbacks was Aaron Rodgers, who was hailed as a potential top pick in that draft. He mysteriously lasted until the 24th selection, where Green Bay scooped him up. Through 126 games, he’s completed 2,633-of-4,047 passes for 32,399 yards, 257 touchdowns and just 65 interceptions. He’s also gained 2,175 yards and 21 scores as a runner.

GOFF SCOUTING ANALYSIS

Body Structure…Goff has a lean, angular frame that needs to add more bulk, but he showed no loss in quickness after increasing his weight by twenty pounds from his freshman to sophomore season. His hands are smaller than ideal for a quarterback, but he has adequate body structure with decent arm length and wing span. He lacks great muscle definition, but has trim upper body tone in his chest and arms, small bubble, some thickness in his thighs and calves and average body control, balance and flexibility rolling out of the pocket.

Goff has remained intact through three seasons of punishment. He’s been sacked 81 times, resulting in 23 fumbles at Cal
Athletic Ability…Goff is a mobile passer with average balance and body control to make all the throws when on the move, but he lacks that second gear needed to elude when rushing past the line of scrimmage, compensating with the vision to locate the cutback lanes. He is smooth in his retreat from center to his throwing point, demonstrating the slide-&-adjust agility to step up in the pocket or roll out to avoid pressure. He shows average knee bend, but lacks the ability to weave through traffic. He makes an effort to provide ball security before heading up field, but perhaps due to his small hands and slight frame, he’s coughed up the ball 23 times (opponents recovered 11 of them). With his balance moving in the backfield, he can avoid the rush, but you question his peripheral vision due to the high amount of caused fumbles recorded after being sacked 81 times in three seasons. He is not the type that must be accounted for when he rolls out of the pocket, and as far as running with the ball past the line of scrimmage, he is nothing to be regarded as a valid threat. He has the body flexibility to change direction smoothly, but fails to generate the acceleration to win foot races going long distances. He lacks the ideal bulk you look for in a drop-back passer, but he shows the functional hip snap to change directions and avoid some pocket pressure. He has good balance and adequate body control throwing on the move, demonstrating good hip rotation. He has decent foot quickness in his pass set and shows good quick twitch fibers.

Football Sense…Goff is a very intelligent player with no problems executing a complicated game plan. He has good arm strength for the short to intermediate area, and has confidence in the fact that he has the raw arm power to air the ball out consistently, but is still savvy enough to keep the game plan within his athletic talents. There are times when he forces the ball into a crowd (see 2015 Utah and USC games), even though he is known as a student of the game who breaks down opposing film and does a good job of making adjustments on the field. The staff cites his knowledge of the playbook and his hours spent helping devise the game plan, calling him a coach on the field. He also excels in the classroom. From a future pro potential standpoint, scouts are confident that Goff will make all of the required reads and checks to perform in a pass-oriented offense.

Competitiveness…Even though he is soft-spoken off the field, Goff has total command of the huddle. He has all the confidence in the world in his targets and knows how to take what the defense gives him rather than force the issue (even though 81 sacks and 23 fumbles indicate he might have been better served throwing the ball away more. He plays until the whistle and despite being under constant pressure, he shows very good poise in the pocket. Because of his confidence in his protection, it is rare to see him bolt too early, as he will stand tall and take some shots. He is a great improviser who always finds ways to make the play. He won’t force the ball into traffic and can keep defenses honest with his long-range arm strength. Do not be fooled by his calmness on the field and in the huddle, for this kid plays with good fire in his belly.

Goff is quick to set up and get ready to throw, accounting for his 43 touchdown passes that set new school and Pac-12 Conference records in 2015
Set Up…Goff has very good balance and quickness driving back from center to his pass set point. He is effective throwing on the move from either hash, but not a threat to run with the ball past the line of scrimmage. He shows tight mechanics and sets his feet with good agility and base. Even with just average timed speed, his feet appear light when forced to move out of the pocket (just not going to win foot races and has had just one of his 170 rushing attempts gain at least 20 yards). With his body control, agility and hip flexibility, he is quick driving back from center, doing a nice job of setting his feet in either 3-step or 5-step drops. He gets to his throwing point fluidly and has the balance to make all the throws on the run (just not a threat to break the line of scrimmage and generate valid yardage). He is nimble and agile rolling out of the pocket and has the balance to step up and avoid pocket pressure. His speed to his throwing point allows him to surprise the lethargic defender.

Reading Defenses…Goff is confident in his ability to make all of his throws. He has the vision to scan the field and make good progression reads. His interception ratio indicates (disregard 2015 Utah and 2013 Northwestern games) that his vision and patience won’t get the team into trouble with costly turnovers. He is not the type who will get even a bit over-confident and fire the ball into tight coverage, as he shows patience waiting for his targets to get in position to make the play and knows how to get the ball to his deep targets over their outside shoulder without the receiver having to adjust (see 2015 Oregon State, Arizona State and Air Force games). While patient waiting for the plays to develop, he is not the type that will hold on to the ball too long and then try to force the action to make the play, as he knows when he needs to throw the ball away. One thing you quickly notice on film is that he is not only innovative, but quite creative when the pocket collapses (just not fast enough to beat defenders on long distance running attempts).

Release…Goff demonstrates the compact delivery and throwing motion, along with the wrist flick, to get the ball out cleanly and quickly. He has a compact motion, holding the ball chest-high to execute a fluid release on deep throws, but you would like to see his release point a bit higher on those attempts (seems to fire the ball at ear-length than going over the top). He gets the ball through the throwing arc well and has a lively arm on short-to-intermediate passes and has learned how to vary his speed at times (as a freshman, he tended to put too much zip on his short throws). He plants well to throw and the pass comes out with a tight spiral, putting a nice spin behind his long tosses, even though he does utilize a lower than desired release point throwing the bombs. Still, even with that delivery, and just average hand size, Goff is very effective at getting the ball out quickly. He carries the pigskin chest-high, but needs to be more alert to backside pressure and ball security, as defenses have had some success batting the ball out from behind (see 2015 Texas and 2014 Colorado, Washington and Oregon games). He shows very good arm whip to get the ball out in time to hit the receivers coming out of their breaks.

Arm Strength…In the short-to-intermediate area, Goff’s tosses show very good zip and velocity. When he attempts to air it out, the ball comes off his fingertips in an instant, showing very good weight distribution and passing mechanics. It is very rare to see his long tosses float or fall off, and almost never will his receivers have to break off their routes. He generates the same velocity, whether throwing off his front or back foot. He has the touch to fire the ball into tight areas underneath and shows good hip rotation to generate a tight spiral. He would be comfortable in a West Coast or ball-controlled offense, but with his arm strength, he can certainly make all the throws, evident by his last two years excelling in a pro-style passing attack. He has no trouble airing the ball out, as he has confidence in his arm power and accuracy to connect consistently on those throws (see 2015 San Diego State, Washington State and Grambling State games). He shows good ease of movement unleashing the ball and puts good velocity on his underneath throws, knowing when to take a bit off those tosses to make it easier for the receiver to secure without having to adjust. He is the type of quarterback that needs to be in a scheme where he can air the ball out, rather than playing “dink-&-dunk” with a short area passing game, as he is highly effective at throwing ropes 40 yards down field with ease. With his live arm, he knows he can generate zip anytime he has to on his long attempts.

Goff has classic throwing mechanics and has greatly improved his footwork, resulting in 78 touchdown passes behind 8,692 aerial yards since the start of the 2014 schedule
Accuracy…Goff is very accurate throwing from the pocket (owns the third-best pass completion percentage – .6227 – and second-best passing efficiency rating – 143.95 – in school history) and has the balance to also make those throws on the move. He is very consistent setting his feet and shows good mechanics delivering the ball on time. He is a nice rhythm passer and not one that relies on hot streaks. He can drill the ball through the seam, but on short routes, he needs to vary the velocity of those throws so receivers only have to execute minimal adjustments. In 2015, he demonstrated good ease of movement on his deep throws, but needs to improve his trajectory (had 43 passes deflected in 2015; 66 in 2014; 62 in 2013). He did a nice job of placing the ball on the receiver’s outside shoulder. He likes to air the ball out more than stay underneath, as he knows how to get the ball to his targets in stride rather than have them wait or come back for it.

Touch…Goff is good at making pre-snap judgment calls. He has good timing working in the intermediate area, but when he reverts to a ¾ release on his deep throws, he does lose touch and ball placement in that area (see 2015 Utah and USC games). He has the ability to adjust on the move, thanks to his good field vision. He is equally effective hitting the receivers in stride working underneath and on deep routes, as his short throws show good touch and placement while his long throws will come off his hands with good zip and velocity.

Poise…Goff is a gutsy field general, evident by his performance playing under a lot of pressure the last three years. He’s been dinged up a bit, mostly with just nicks and bruises, but he stands tall in the pocket under pressure and won’t panic and try to run with the ball. He quickly forgets his mistakes and works through his progressions well, showing patience waiting for his targets to get open. Earlier in his career, he felt that he had to carry the team and make every play, getting into bad streaks of firing into a crowd (see 2013 Northwestern game), but he now keeps his cool when “bullets are flying” and knows that when all else fails, he has the arm to step up and avoid the pocket pressure. He stands tough under duress and shows confidence in his ability to execute the play.

Leadership…Goff has complete control of the team, both on the field and in the locker room. He has a good understanding of the game plan and will not hesitate to take a teammate to task for poor play. His quiet air of confidence is contagious, as his teammates feed off his moxie. He is patient waiting for plays to develop and does a very good job with ball security. He is not really vocal on the field or the type that will demonstrate “Brett Favre” bravado, but is more like Tom Brady, taking what defenses give him without putting on a vocal show to tick opponents off. His teammates respect him and he is very assertive once he makes a decision.

Pocket Movement…Goff has the mobility to avoid pocket pressure, but lacks the suddenness to tuck the ball and head up field for big gains. He is effective at finding his secondary targets on the move. He stands tall and takes some punishing hits because of his lack of ideal speed, though. When he does escape past the line of scrimmage, defenses will soon converge and take him down. Most of his sacks are the result of Goff sitting too long at the X’s, as he knows he has only adequate speed (shows good slide quickness in attempts to roll out and throw on the move, though). Even when the pocket breaks down, he knows he can make all of his throws on the move. As a ball carrier, he just lacks the burst, strength and body lean to gain additional yardage after the initial hit and he needs to become more conscious of protecting the ball and shielding it from the defenders.

While he has average speed, 23 fumbles and just one touchdown with one run for over 20 yards on 170 carries makes Goff suspect as a ball carrier
Scrambling Ability…Goff is effective at rolling out to locate his receivers, showing good accuracy throwing on the move. He won’t win foot races past the line of scrimmage, but knows how to square his shoulders and follow his blockers on goal-line running plays. He needs to add more bulk and strength in order to be more of a consistent tackle-breaker. He has good velocity throwing on the move, but is not highly agile trying to escape the defenders when heading up field.

CAREER NOTES…Goff started all 37 games at California, becoming the first quarterback in school history to make his debut as a member of the first unit…Gained 12,200 yards with 96 touchdowns and 30 interceptions on 977-of-1,569 pass completions (62.27%), but scored just once on 170 carries for losses totaling 114 yards…Participated in 1,739 plays, generating 12,086 yards in total offense… Has been sacked 81 times for minus 582 yards, as he turned the ball over eleven times via 23 fumbles and saw 171-of-1,569 pass attempts (10.90%) deflected by the opposition.

NCAA Career-Record Results…Among active NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision players, Goff leads the group with 1,569 pass attempts and ranks second with 977 completions (Western Kentucky’s Brandon Doughty has 1,023)…Ranks third with 12,200 aerial yards. In the FBS ranks, that figure places behind Doughty’s 12,855 yards. At all levels, Virgil Adams (Eastern Washington and Oregon) has amassed 13,076 yards…His 96 touchdown passes rank behind Adams’ 136 on the overall chart and Doughty’s 111 sat the FBS level…Ranks fourth with 12,086 yards in total offense.

Pac-12 Conference Career-Record Results…Goff is one of five league performers to amass 12,000 yards in total offense (12,086), joining Connor Halliday of Washington State (13,189; 2011-14), Marcus Mariota, Oregon (13,033; 2012-14), Sean Mannion, Oregon State (12,796; 2011-14) and Matt Barkley, Southern California (12,214: 2009-12)…His 12,200 yards passing placed third in Pac-12 annals behind the 13,600 yards by Sean Mannion, Oregon State (2011-14) and 13,327 yards by Matt Barkley…One of five league quarterbacks to record at least 90 touchdown passes (96), joining Matt Barkley of Southern California (116), Oregon’s Marcus Mariota (105), Southern California’s Matt Leinart (99; 2003-05) and Connor Halliday of Washington State (90; 2011-14).

Pac-12 Conference Season-Record Results…Goff’s 4,711 yards in total offense in 2015 is topped by only Oregon’s Marcus Mariota (5,224 in 2014) in league history…His 4,719 yards passing set the league mark in 2015. The only other Pac-12 passers to generate at least 4,500 yards were Sean Mannion of Oregon State (4,662 in 2013) and Connor Halliday of Washington State (4,597 in 2013)…

His 43 touchdown passes last season surpassed the previous Pac-12 record of 42 by Oregon’s Marcus Mariota in 2014…One of six players in Pac-12 history to throw for 3,000 or more yards in three seasons and one of two to throw for 3,000 or more yards in each of his first three campaigns.

School Career-Record Results…Goff holds the school record with 12,086 yards in total offense, topping the old mark of 8,236 yards by Troy Taylor (1986-89)…His 12,200 yards passing broke Taylor’s old Cal record of 8,126 yards…Also holds the Cal record with 96 touchdown passes. The previous mark was 64 by Kyle Boller (1999-2002)…Shattered the school record with 22 300-yard passing performances…His passing efficiency rating of 143.95 is surpassed by only Aaron Rodgers (150.3; (2003-04) in school annals.

School Season-Record Results…Goff holds the top three spots on the school list with 3,508 yards passing in 2013; 3,973 in 2014 and 4,719 in 2015. The old record was 3,416 yards by Pat Barnes in 1996…His 43 touchdown passes in 2015 set the school record that he previously established with 39 scoring strikes in 2014. Pat Barnes held the old mark with 31 in 1996…His passing efficiency rating of 161.3 in 2015 placed second on the school chart behind Dave Barr (164.5 in 1993).

canadaram wrote:

Here’s what Dane Brugler has to say about Goff’s strengths:

STRENGTHS: Good height for the position with the body type to add weight and fill out…outstanding feet, set-up quickness and release, displaying the lower body mechanics to easily come to balance and throw in rhythm – terrific pocket presence to float from pressure with his eyes downfield and buy extra half seconds…climbs the pocket with controlled steps…fundamentals don’t break down when the play does and capable of the correct spontaneous decision…cerebral passing instincts with a strong understanding of anticipation and timing, throwing receivers open…very good self-evaluator and learns from his mistakes…quick trigger and spins a pretty ball with the velocity to drive it and make all the necessary throws…improved eye use to hold defenders, keep the middle of the field open…very good placement to give his receivers a chance to catch-and-go with the touch to deliver tight-windowed throws between levels of the defense…sees the field well pre-snap to get a head start on his progressions…patient to work through his reads, feeling the rush, not looking at the rush…has the stones to stay tough in the pocket even with the hit coming…improved recognition skills pre-snap to identify pressures and find the hot route on blitzes…not a statue, showing enough athleticism to move the pocket and pick up yards as a rusher…trusts his teammates with a steady demeanor regardless of down-and-distance or what the scoreboard says – played behind a spotty offensive line and with receivers who had high drop rates…effective pooch punter, averaging 37.7 yards per punt (12/452), including six inside the opponents’ 20-yard line…two-year team captain (voted by his teammates) – ultra-reserved and laid back personality…athletic bloodlines – father (Jeff) was an All- American baseball catcher at Cal and played seven seasons in MLB (1990-96)…started every game the last three seasons (37 career starts)…rewrote the Cal record book and holds 26 school records, including career passing yards (12,200), touchdown passes (96) and completions (977) – only the second Pac-12 passer to throw 3,000+ yards in each of his first three collegiate seasons.

canadaram wrote:

Here’s what Drew Boylhart has to say about Goff’s strengths.

STRENGTHS
Jared is another quarterback who has improved in every game I have seen him in this year. He has excellent arm talent to make all the throws with touch when needed along with accuracy and velocity that is expected from a top quarterback for the next level. Jared has a very quick release plus quick feet that help him to set up quickly and keep his balance to execute with outstanding accuracy when he throws the ball. He plays with a healthy fear of personal failure that drives him to succeed and improve. He is demanding of the players around him and because of his accuracy and football intelligence, has the respect of his teammates on the field. Jared gets rid of the ball quickly because he is able to read defenses at the college level and look for mismatches in the passing game. He obviously patterns and copies his set ups and drops (from under center) on Peyton Manning’s style and in doing so, has improved dramatically from the first game of this season to the last bowl game. Jared has franchise talent and potential.

I would very much prefer Wentz. However, I am now convinced that it will be Goff. The mystery is over for me. I am spending the next 12 days scouring the internet for Goff draft profiles and only reading the “Strengths” sections. I need to sell myself on Goff.

Here’s what Dane Brugler has to say about Goff’s strengths:

STRENGTHS: Good height for the position with the body type to add weight and fill out…outstanding feet, set-up quickness and release, displaying the lower body mechanics to easily come to balance and throw in rhythm – terrific pocket presence to float from pressure with his eyes downfield and buy extra half seconds…climbs the pocket with controlled steps…fundamentals don’t break down when the play does and capable of the correct spontaneous decision…cerebral passing instincts with a strong understanding of anticipation and timing, throwing receivers open…very good self-evaluator and learns from his mistakes…quick trigger and spins a pretty ball with the velocity to drive it and make all the necessary throws…improved eye use to hold defenders, keep the middle of the field open…very good placement to give his receivers a chance to catch-and-go with the touch to deliver tight-windowed throws between levels of the defense…sees the field well pre-snap to get a head start on his progressions…patient to work through his reads, feeling the rush, not looking at the rush…has the stones to stay tough in the pocket even with the hit coming…improved recognition skills pre-snap to identify pressures and find the hot route on blitzes…not a statue, showing enough athleticism to move the pocket and pick up yards as a rusher…trusts his teammates with a steady demeanor regardless of down-and-distance or what the scoreboard says – played behind a spotty offensive line and with receivers who had high drop rates…effective pooch punter, averaging 37.7 yards per punt (12/452), including six inside the opponents’ 20-yard line…two-year team captain (voted by his teammates) – ultra-reserved and laid back personality…athletic bloodlines – father (Jeff) was an All- American baseball catcher at Cal and played seven seasons in MLB (1990-96)…started every game the last three seasons (37 career starts)…rewrote the Cal record book and holds 26 school records, including career passing yards (12,200), touchdown passes (96) and completions (977) – only the second Pac-12 passer to throw 3,000+ yards in each of his first three collegiate seasons.

• This reply was modified 9 years, 2 months ago by canadaram.

Shelley also wrote,
“….And these words shall then become
Like Oppression’s thundered doom
Ringing through each heart and brain,
Heard again – again – again –

‘Rise like Lions after slumber
In unvanquishable number –
Shake your chains to earth like dew
Which in sleep had fallen on you –
Ye are many – they are few.‘

———————————
Percy Bysshe Shelley – The Mask of Anarchy

Written on the occasion of the massacre carried out by the British Government
at Peterloo, Manchester 1819

As I lay asleep in Italy
There came a voice from over the Sea,
And with great power it forth led me
To walk in the visions of Poesy.

I met Murder on the way –
He had a mask like Castlereagh –
Very smooth he looked, yet grim;
Seven blood-hounds followed him:

All were fat; and well they might
Be in admirable plight,
For one by one, and two by two,
He tossed the human hearts to chew
Which from his wide cloak he drew.

Next came Fraud, and he had on,
Like Eldon, an ermined gown;
His big tears, for he wept well,
Turned to mill-stones as they fell.

And the little children, who
Round his feet played to and fro,
Thinking every tear a gem,
Had their brains knocked out by them.

Clothed with the Bible, as with light,
And the shadows of the night,
Like Sidmouth, next, Hypocrisy
On a crocodile rode by.

And many more Destructions played
In this ghastly masquerade,
All disguised, even to the eyes,
Like Bishops, lawyers, peers, or spies.

Last came Anarchy: he rode
On a white horse, splashed with blood;
He was pale even to the lips,
Like Death in the Apocalypse.

And he wore a kingly crown;
And in his grasp a sceptre shone;
On his brow this mark I saw –
‘I AM GOD, AND KING, AND LAW!’

With a pace stately and fast,
Over English land he passed,
Trampling to a mire of blood
The adoring multitude.

And a mighty troop around,
With their trampling shook the ground,
Waving each a bloody sword,
For the service of their Lord.

And with glorious triumph, they
Rode through England proud and gay,
Drunk as with intoxication
Of the wine of desolation.

O’er fields and towns, from sea to sea,
Passed the Pageant swift and free,
Tearing up, and trampling down;
Till they came to London town.

And each dweller, panic-stricken,
Felt his heart with terror sicken
Hearing the tempestuous cry
Of the triumph of Anarchy.

For with pomp to meet him came,
Clothed in arms like blood and flame,
The hired murderers, who did sing
‘Thou art God, and Law, and King.

‘We have waited, weak and lone
For thy coming, Mighty One!
Our Purses are empty, our swords are cold,
Give us glory, and blood, and gold.’

Lawyers and priests, a motley crowd,
To the earth their pale brows bowed;
Like a bad prayer not over loud,
Whispering – ‘Thou art Law and God.’ –

Then all cried with one accord,
‘Thou art King, and God and Lord;
Anarchy, to thee we bow,
Be thy name made holy now!’

And Anarchy, the skeleton,
Bowed and grinned to every one,
As well as if his education
Had cost ten millions to the nation.

For he knew the Palaces
Of our Kings were rightly his;
His the sceptre, crown and globe,
And the gold-inwoven robe.

So he sent his slaves before
To seize upon the Bank and Tower,
And was proceeding with intent
To meet his pensioned Parliament

When one fled past, a maniac maid,
And her name was Hope, she said:
But she looked more like Despair,
And she cried out in the air:

‘My father Time is weak and gray
With waiting for a better day;
See how idiot-like he stands,
Fumbling with his palsied hands!

He has had child after child,
And the dust of death is piled
Over every one but me –
Misery, oh, Misery!’

Then she lay down in the street,
Right before the horses’ feet,
Expecting, with a patient eye,
Murder, Fraud, and Anarchy.

When between her and her foes
A mist, a light, an image rose,
Small at first, and weak, and frail
Like the vapour of a vale:

Till as clouds grow on the blast,
Like tower-crowned giants striding fast,
And glare with lightnings as they fly,
And speak in thunder to the sky,

It grew – a Shape arrayed in mail
Brighter than the viper’s scale,
And upborne on wings whose grain
Was as the light of sunny rain.

On its helm, seen far away,
A planet, like the Morning’s, lay;
And those plumes its light rained through
Like a shower of crimson dew.

With step as soft as wind it passed
O’er the heads of men – so fast
That they knew the presence there,
And looked, – but all was empty air.

As flowers beneath May’s footstep waken,
As stars from Night’s loose hair are shaken,
As waves arise when loud winds call,
Thoughts sprung where’er that step did fall.

And the prostrate multitude
Looked – and ankle-deep in blood,
Hope, that maiden most serene,
Was walking with a quiet mien:

And Anarchy, the ghastly birth,
Lay dead earth upon the earth;
The Horse of Death tameless as wind
Fled, and with his hoofs did grind
To dust the murderers thronged behind.

A rushing light of clouds and splendour,
A sense awakening and yet tender
Was heard and felt – and at its close
These words of joy and fear arose

As if their own indignant Earth
Which gave the sons of England birth
Had felt their blood upon her brow,
And shuddering with a mother’s throe

Had turned every drop of blood
By which her face had been bedewed
To an accent unwithstood, –
As if her heart had cried aloud:

‘Men of England, heirs of Glory,
Heroes of unwritten story,
Nurslings of one mighty Mother,
Hopes of her, and one another;

‘Rise like Lions after slumber
In unvanquishable number,
Shake your chains to earth like dew
Which in sleep had fallen on you –
Ye are many – they are few.

‘What is Freedom? – ye can tell
That which slavery is, too well –
For its very name has grown
To an echo of your own.

‘Tis to work and have such pay
As just keeps life from day to day
In your limbs, as in a cell
For the tyrants’ use to dwell,

‘So that ye for them are made
Loom, and plough, and sword, and spade,
With or without your own will bent
To their defence and nourishment.

‘Tis to see your children weak
With their mothers pine and peak,
When the winter winds are bleak, –
They are dying whilst I speak.

‘Tis to hunger for such diet
As the rich man in his riot
Casts to the fat dogs that lie
Surfeiting beneath his eye;

‘Tis to let the Ghost of Gold
Take from Toil a thousandfold
More that e’er its substance could
In the tyrannies of old.

‘Paper coin – that forgery
Of the title-deeds, which ye
Hold to something of the worth
Of the inheritance of Earth.

‘Tis to be a slave in soul
And to hold no strong control
Over your own wills, but be
All that others make of ye.

‘And at length when ye complain
With a murmur weak and vain
‘Tis to see the Tyrant’s crew
Ride over your wives and you –
Blood is on the grass like dew.

‘Then it is to feel revenge
Fiercely thirsting to exchange
Blood for blood – and wrong for wrong –
Do not thus when ye are strong.

‘Birds find rest, in narrow nest
When weary of their wingèd quest
Beasts find fare, in woody lair
When storm and snow are in the air.

‘Asses, swine, have litter spread
And with fitting food are fed;
All things have a home but one –
Thou, Oh, Englishman, hast none!

‘This is slavery – savage men
Or wild beasts within a den
Would endure not as ye do –
But such ills they never knew.

‘What art thou Freedom? O! could slaves
Answer from their living graves
This demand – tyrants would flee
Like a dream’s dim imagery:

‘Thou art not, as impostors say,
A shadow soon to pass away,
A superstition, and a name
Echoing from the cave of Fame.

‘For the labourer thou art bread,
And a comely table spread
From his daily labour come
In a neat and happy home.

‘Thou art clothes, and fire, and food
For the trampled multitude –
No – in countries that are free
Such starvation cannot be
As in England now we see.

‘To the rich thou art a check,
When his foot is on the neck
Of his victim, thou dost make
That he treads upon a snake.

‘Thou art Justice – ne’er for gold
May thy righteous laws be sold
As laws are in England – thou
Shield’st alike the high and low.

‘Thou art Wisdom – Freemen never
Dream that God will damn for ever
All who think those things untrue
Of which Priests make such ado.

‘Thou art Peace – never by thee
Would blood and treasure wasted be
As tyrants wasted them, when all
Leagued to quench thy flame in Gaul.

‘What if English toil and blood
Was poured forth, even as a flood?
It availed, Oh, Liberty,
To dim, but not extinguish thee.

‘Thou art Love – the rich have kissed
Thy feet, and like him following Christ,
Give their substance to the free
And through the rough world follow thee,

‘Or turn their wealth to arms, and make
War for thy belovèd sake
On wealth, and war, and fraud – whence they
Drew the power which is their prey.

‘Science, Poetry, and Thought
Are thy lamps; they make the lot
Of the dwellers in a cot
So serene, they curse it not.

‘Spirit, Patience, Gentleness,
All that can adorn and bless
Art thou – let deeds, not words, express
Thine exceeding loveliness.

‘Let a great Assembly be
Of the fearless and the free
On some spot of English ground
Where the plains stretch wide around.

‘Let the blue sky overhead,
The green earth on which ye tread,
All that must eternal be
Witness the solemnity.

‘From the corners uttermost
Of the bounds of English coast;
From every hut, village, and town
Where those who live and suffer moan,

‘From the workhouse and the prison
Where pale as corpses newly risen,
Women, children, young and old
Groan for pain, and weep for cold –

‘From the haunts of daily life
Where is waged the daily strife
With common wants and common cares
Which sows the human heart with tares –

‘Lastly from the palaces
Where the murmur of distress
Echoes, like the distant sound
Of a wind alive around

‘Those prison halls of wealth and fashion,
Where some few feel such compassion
For those who groan, and toil, and wail
As must make their brethren pale –

‘Ye who suffer woes untold,
Or to feel, or to behold
Your lost country bought and sold
With a price of blood and gold –

‘Let a vast assembly be,
And with great solemnity
Declare with measured words that ye
Are, as God has made ye, free –

‘Be your strong and simple words
Keen to wound as sharpened swords,
And wide as targes let them be,
With their shade to cover ye.

‘Let the tyrants pour around
With a quick and startling sound,
Like the loosening of a sea,
Troops of armed emblazonry.

Let the charged artillery drive
Till the dead air seems alive
With the clash of clanging wheels,
And the tramp of horses’ heels.

‘Let the fixèd bayonet
Gleam with sharp desire to wet
Its bright point in English blood
Looking keen as one for food.

‘Let the horsemen’s scimitars
Wheel and flash, like sphereless stars
Thirsting to eclipse their burning
In a sea of death and mourning.

‘Stand ye calm and resolute,
Like a forest close and mute,
With folded arms and looks which are
Weapons of unvanquished war,

‘And let Panic, who outspeeds
The career of armèd steeds
Pass, a disregarded shade
Through your phalanx undismayed.

‘Let the laws of your own land,
Good or ill, between ye stand
Hand to hand, and foot to foot,
Arbiters of the dispute,

‘The old laws of England – they
Whose reverend heads with age are gray,
Children of a wiser day;
And whose solemn voice must be
Thine own echo – Liberty!

‘On those who first should violate
Such sacred heralds in their state
Rest the blood that must ensue,
And it will not rest on you.

‘And if then the tyrants dare
Let them ride among you there,
Slash, and stab, and maim, and hew, –
What they like, that let them do.

‘With folded arms and steady eyes,
And little fear, and less surprise,
Look upon them as they slay
Till their rage has died away.

‘Then they will return with shame
To the place from which they came,
And the blood thus shed will speak
In hot blushes on their cheek.

‘Every woman in the land
Will point at them as they stand –
They will hardly dare to greet
Their acquaintance in the street.

‘And the bold, true warriors
Who have hugged Danger in wars
Will turn to those who would be free,
Ashamed of such base company.

‘And that slaughter to the Nation
Shall steam up like inspiration,
Eloquent, oracular;
A volcano heard afar.

‘And these words shall then become
Like Oppression’s thundered doom
Ringing through each heart and brain,
Heard again – again – again –

‘Rise like Lions after slumber
In unvanquishable number –
Shake your chains to earth like dew
Which in sleep had fallen on you –
Ye are many – they are few.’